Making an Offer

By making an offer you are committing to a home. If the seller accepts your offer, you are legally obligated to purchase the home because you signed a contract to purchase. The check you write as a good-faith deposit can usually be applied to the down payment at closing. Your agent will help you to gather information on the current market, the community, similar homes and current property values. This information will allow you to make the best possible offer.

Key elements to an offer include making an offer you can afford, the number of other offers, if any, current condition of the property, seller's motivation to sell, any and all contingencies and conditions and if your offer is responded to with a counteroffer you must decide what is negotiable.