The Art of Negotiating Your Home Purchase

So you found that special home, and it's time to put in an offer.  Advice?  When your agent writes up the offer, make sure you include all of your optimum terms, and conditions right from the get-go.  That may seem like basic  knowledge to you, as the widely used offer forms have allotted spaces to include that information, but theres more to it than that.

Basic Terms and conditions  are the price, downpayment, mortgage amount, mortgage contingency date and proposed closing date. Other terms and conditions to be included in your offer to purchase are building inspections (including wood destroying insect,  radon tests, septic tests, and well recovery tests, etc.)
 
Here's an example of some additional terms that I am talking about. Maybe you like that dining room chandelier- if so, you better include that in your offer.  Maybe you would like the refrigerator, window treatments, or the washer and dryer, which was not included in the listing- you better include that, too.
Maybe you want to lower the downpayment amount, or you need to store some items in the house you are buying prior to close.

If you do not include these items in your initial offer, and request them later on in the negotiation, the seller may think that you are going to constantly ask for extras after the building inspection, and up until the time of closing.  You just look like you are nickel-and diming them if you don;t tell them up front, and asking for things later on in negotiations just sours everything, and it can very easily kill the deal just because of the timing.

An honest omission on your part would most likely not be a problem, however if there is some term, addition or contingency you want to add later, which in fairness, really should have been done at the beginning , you might as well just say goodbye to that house. Be smart. Your agent should be asking you questions, and should know you enough to know what is important to you. So trust your agents advice. Need an agent? Call me!  I've got 26+ years of experience, and have successfully negotiated Hundreds of sales.  I'll negotiate for you, too!