Making an offer won’t necessarily cost you money, but you will be expected to show good faith by paying an earnest money deposit if your offer is accepted. The deposit is a sign that you are serious about your offer on the home. So, if you want to buy a home, you will have to work with you buyer’s agent, who will present the offer stating how much you’re willing to pay for the home to the seller via a listing agent. The earnest money will be put as your down payment. My job as your agent is to work in your best interest to guarantee the success of the transaction. I will also ensure that there is due diligence in the process of the transaction as well as guarantee a refund of your earnest money in case there is a reason for you to back out from the home purchase.

Depending on the market situation, I can give you a professional guidance on how much to offer on a home as well as what percentage of the offer to deposit as your earnest money. We will work together to arrive at what is convenient for you based on the reality surrounding your choice of home and the prevailing circumstances in the Coachella Valley real estate market. Some of the factors I will want you to consider during discussions include but not limited to the following:

1. How much is the bank willing to loan you?

Of course, the amount of money available to you will to a large extent determine the kind of home you will be opting for. It is unwise to offer more than you can afford. Once we’ve ascertain your budget, we will be able to know those houses that are far above your budget long before it came to the time for making an offer.

2. What is the worth of the house?

I will work with you to do an appraisal of the house to see if it actually worth the asking price so as to prevent you from paying more than the home is worth. This is important, especially when you’re buying a house that you might want to sell someday.

3. How soon do you want the house?

The urgency of your need for the house is also important in deciding the offer. If you urgently need the home you might not want to waste time negotiating the asking price in a competitive market.

4. How much you really like the house

There are times when the desire you have for a particular home may supersedes whatever asking price that is being placed on it. In such cases, there is nothing wrong paying more than the home is worth. However, offering more than the market value for a home you intend to sell any time soon may not be a wise decision. This is because an overpriced home may take a longer time to become worth more than the value you paid for it.

Once you have consider these factors and any other ones that are worthy consideration, then it is time to present your offer. If the seller accepts your offer, then you’ll have to pay the earnest money and both of you can now sign a contract.