Reject the Buyer's First Offer

This type of strategy works best in a normal to hot seller's market. Rejecting the first offer might cost you the deal but in the long run you could end up coming out ahead. Use this information as more of guideline than a rule.

In a cold market, depending on the number of offers, rejecting the first offer may not be the wisest choice. For example, the market prices are depressed. You have your first bite in six months. It is safe to assume that this may be your only offer and you should accept it.

Why should you reject the first offer?
A buyer's first offer does not always reflect the buyer's highest bid for your property. From the buyer's perspective, there are three goals in making the offer:

Buyer's Goals in Making an Offer

1. To get the property for the lowest possible price.
2. To get the best possible terms.
3. To "feel out" the seller to see how "motivated" he or she is.

All of these goals speak toward making a low initial offer. Why offer $300,000 to a seller that might accept $270,000? Always offer the lower amount first. If the seller doesn't accept it, you can always offer a higher bid.

When the Market's Super Hot

In some areas of the country and at different times, there is such a high demand for property but a shortage of land. Multiple Offers come in as soon as the property is listed (sometimes before the listing is even published!). In this situation, desperate buyers make their highest and best offer first. The seller has a choice again to reject the first offer. After all, someone else is likely standing in line to offer more!

Will the buyer Offer More?

In a normal market, the answer is "maybe." If the buyer low-balled the first offer, then indeed they will offer more. Even if the buyers offered what they considered their best, they might stretch and still offer more if they really want to buy your house.

The market is fluid and stands still for no one. You never know what a buyer's thinking, or what other properties a buyer is considering. In the time since the first offer was made, the buyers may have reconsidered. They may have decided that they really don't want to buy into another house. Perhaps they'll rent for a time. Maybe they've seen another house that they like better.

This is the risk you take when you reject any offer. You may not get another offer from this buyer. You may not even get this buyer to come back and honor the original offer. The consequences do sound scary but if you want the most for your house then this is the tactic to consider.

Counter Offers
If you don't accept the buyer's offer exactly as presented within the time frame it is offered, you've rejected it. Now it's time to make a counter offer.

You don't both accept and counter. The moment you make a counter offer for a different price or terms, it's a whole new ball game. The buyer is under no obligation to accept your counter offer and can now accept or reject it.

You should always counter any offer that you reject, no matter how frivolous the original offer may seem. I've been in a situation (in a normal market) where a would-be buyer came in with an offer that was 25 percent less than I was asking. The house was listed at $200,000 and the offer was for $150,000.

Now, that's an affront. It is insulting to be offered so much less that the asking price, particularly since the house didn't have any particular problems that could have knocked down the price. My gut reaction was to tell this would-be buyer to take a great flying leap and simply forget about him.

However, this is business and you never know what a buyer is thinking, So I counter back, at $5000 below the asking price, indicating that I was firm and would not budge. You know what? The buyer accepted! He had simply been low-balling me to see if I was a desperate seller.

The point here is even if you think the buyer is insulting you, even if you think the buyer is insulting you, even if you can't stand to think about this ridiculous buyer, always counter.

Once you've decided to reject a would-be buyer's offer, it doesn't cost you anything to counter. You can counter for close to your asking price, your actual asking price, or even for more than you're asking! What's important is that you not be the one to close the negotiations off. Keep them open by countering.

When Should You Accept the First Offer?
There are time when you should accept the first offer, and it doesn't always have to do with market conditions. You may be desperate to sell. It could be a matter of a financial crisis (you've lost your job and can't make the payments), a divorce, a transfer, or any of a dozen other problems that have cropped up. The point here is that you need to get out now, and you can't afford to dicker. When your back is up against the wall, you may not be able to risk negotiating for a higher price. You may simply have to accept what's on the table.

Hopefully, you'll never be in this position. But if you are, recognize the situation for what it is and act accordingly.

Never gamble if you can't afford to lose. Never reject an offer you can't live without.

MORTGAGE CENTER

How Much Income do I Need in Order to Qualify?

Do you need to know how much money you must earn to purchase the house of your dreams? This calculator will help you figure it out.

Not sure exactly what you need to be asking about? These 10 questions to ask when buying a new construction home will help get you started.

1. Is the lot cost included?

   When you’re exploring new construction options, you’ll see that each plan comes with a base cost. This is the cost of the structure itself, as well as base interior and exterior features (we’ll get into those in a little bit). What may not be included is the cost of the land, so be sure to ask if the lot cost is figured into the base.

   If the lot cost is included, ask if there are premium costs for certain lots. It’s possible that the base cost does include the lot, but the remaining lots in the development all have added costs for certain features that you can’t opt out of, such as look-out windows in the basement or wider yards. If the lot cost is not included, ask what it is (and whether there are additional premium costs) and factor those into the base price for the house.

2. How long will building take?

   It’s important to know what you’re getting into timing-wise with a new construction build, particularly if you have a house to sell first or you’re going to be renting. While the building process is prone to delays and you won’t be able to get a finite schedule for how long the build will take, you’ll be able to get a general idea of what you can expect. Be sure to also ask if the build time includes the time it takes to get the permits, since those will typically take about 30-45 days to obtain.

3. What warranties are provided with the house?

   Just because a home is brand new doesn’t mean that no problems will arise. Fortunately, most new construction homes come with one or more warranties that protect you in the event of a mishap early on, including a short term whole-house warranty and a longer structural warranty. Ask what the warranties include and how long they last. While you can always buy your own home warranty, you should expect that the builder will cover you in some way for at least the first several years.

4. What are the standard finishes?

   Does a base cost look too good to be true? That might be because the builder is expecting you to spend big when it comes to finishes like flooring and countertops. Ask what types of finishes are included, and better yet, go through the model unit with the sales representative and have them point out what’s standard and what is an upgrade. You likely won’t meet with the design center until after you’ve gone under contract, so it’s important to figure out early what sorts of finishes and appliances you can expect to be included in the home’s base price.

5. Is landscaping included?

   Depending on the size of your yard, landscaping, including sodding and putting in trees and plants, can set you back several thousand dollars or more. Is that a cost you’ll have to factor in on top of the home purchase? Some builders include your basic yard work, while others leave you with unfinished land that becomes your responsibility to landscape (and generally must be completed in a set amount of time, per the contract). Ask whether landscaping is included, and if so, what that entails and if there is any sort of warranty on the materials so that if your newly sodded grass dies right away or some other mishap occurs you’re not responsible for fixing it.

6. Does the contract include a cost escalation clause?

   New builds are notorious for last minute surprises, but you don’t want to be on the hook financially if it happens. A cost escalation clause allows the builder to charge you for any unanticipated costs that arise as a result of necessary labor or materials. So if lumber prices go up before the builder has purchased the materials for your flooring, or an unexpected delay adds a few weeks onto the build, you’re on the line for those costs. If you’d rather not deal with the stress of unanticipated costs, find a builder that doesn’t include a cost escalation clause in the contract.

7. Are there any homeowners rules or regulations?

   Even if there is no homeowners association for the development, the builder may still set some guidelines as far as what’s allowed and what’s not on your property. For example, you may not be able to use a particular type of fencing or install a shed in your backyard. It’s better to ask this question early and know what to expect than to move in and find out that you can’t bring into fruition certain plans you had for the space.

8. Are there any financial incentives for using the builder’s preferred lender?

   Some builders offer discounts on closing costs if you obtain your mortgage through a company that they have a relationship with. Ask if these sorts of financial incentives are offered, but don’t make your final decision about where to get your mortgage based on the discounts alone – you may still be able to find a better deal through other lenders. It’s still good to know however if there are benefits to working with the builder’s preferred mortgage company.

If it’s your dream to build a new construction house, go in to the process with an open mind and a clear idea of what you can expect. The more questions you can ask in the beginning, the less surprises you’ll potentially face in the future.

And as with any home purchase, be sure to have an attorney read over your contract so that you can be sure everything is fair and equitable. Some buyers of new construction prefer to go in to sales meetings with a real estate agent as well, though in my own experience, I didn’t find that to be necessary. Be smart, ask the right questions, and at the end of the day (or fine, year) you’ll end up with a beautiful home built just for you.