Questions to Ask Before Making an Offer on a Home

Welcome back to some weekly real estate tips from your homegirl, Sam with Designer Real Estate Group! Last week, I shared some tips on how obtaining a Pre-Approval prior to home shopping is beneficial to you as a buyer. This week, I want to talk about what to do once you've found a home you love.

Before we make an offer, here are five questions I consider while coming up with a negotiation strategy:

1. What's the reason for selling? Understanding why the seller is moving helps to negotiate a better price.
   

2. How long has the home been on the market? The longer a home has been on the market, typically the more motivated a seller will be to make a deal
   

3. Are there any known defects or issues with the property? This doesn't always have to draw you away from a home. I have been a professional interior designer in the residential remodeling industry for over a decade and I can tell you, everything is fixable with enough money and creativity. If there is a home that you love that has some defects let's chat about the opportunities and the teams it would take to get it to where you want it to be. If it'd be a deal breaker for every buyer that walks through the door we might even ask the seller to take care of the issue during the inspection negotiations!
   

4. What's included in the sale? Make sure you know what's included in the sale, such as appliances or fixtures - everything is negotiable the worst they can say when we ask for an item is no!
   

5. What's the seller's ideal timeline? Understanding the seller's timeline can help you negotiate a smoother transaction.
   

If you have any specific real estate or interior design questions feel free to reply to this email. Have a home you've been stalking on the internet? Schedule a private in-person or virtual tour now!