https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 06:38:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412241 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 08:25:21 +0000 matador84 2412241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>These are all helpful ideas! Thank you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412172 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 06:47:59 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2412172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JCCovi: I just looked up "due diligence money" because my state doesn't have the fee. Anyway, did anyone end up surrendering that fee to you? </p> <p>When we put an offer on our current house it was right after pulling an offer on another house. The first house countered with a contingency that their offer on another house go through. We immediately pulled our offer and put it on the second house that was truly available for purchase. </p> <p>Good luck making your offer as attractive as possible. :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412170 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 06:30:00 +0000 JCCovi 2412170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just sold our house last week after 6 months on the market and 3 contracts that had fallen through. None of the 4 contracts had contingencies and we wouldn't have taken an offer with contingency just because we knew that during the month the buyer was working on selling their house we would have no problem getting cleaner offers. Also, we were well above tax value but had no problems getting multiple offers above asking so we must not have been over priced. (A new tax value came out in December well above what we were asking).</p> <p>All that being said (just to explain where they may be coming from), earnest money and due diligence money definitely drew us to some offers over others. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412169 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 06:25:31 +0000 hellobeeboston 2412169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Re: the letter...... When we put an offer of our home (we were first) there were 4 backup offers, I believe we offered the most anyway, but we did not include a letter and the others did. At our closing the seller mentioned the letters rubbed her the wrong way and she didn't want to deal with emotions, etc., or have to feel bad and sell her house to the best story..... Who knows what the letters were, but we were glad it worked out. Just a perspective on the other side for that, you never know about the seller though, they could appreciate it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412110 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:23:53 +0000 gingerbebe 2412110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would write a letter. They can say they want a quick sale and dump the house or whatever, but given this time of year, unless you live in Scottsdale or something, its not exactly a hot time to sell. I would make your best offer, write the letter, and then let it be. Contingencies are totally normal and they can always come back to you once they realize they can't dump their above-appraisal priced house in the winter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412107 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:20:44 +0000 Jess1483 2412107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, another vote for a letter. We beat out another offer on the house we just bought because of a letter and an extra $500. The realtor called our realtor (who is a longtime friend of ours) and asked a million questions, so it appears to have mattered at least a bit. On the other hand, it wouldn't have worked if we hadn't been able to make our offer not contingent. We borrowed about $10,000 from my parents to be able to make it not contingent (the bank thinks we can afford WAY more than we can...), and paid them back at closing on our old house.</p> <p>On the flip side, we kept a contingent offer when we had a different offer just because we felt like the not contingent offer was nickel-and-diming us. They asked for a home warranty and closing costs up front, when that should have been part of the post-inspection conversation. For whatever that's worth...</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412101 Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:05:14 +0000 Portboston 2412101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with a letter and photos. When we bought our home, there were multiple offers on it. It was the 4th offer we were putting in and I was sick of looking at houses (and being disappointed when the offer wasn't accepted). While looking at the house I saw a picture of the owners dog which happened to be the same breed as ours. I wrote a letter and sent a picture of our dog. No joke, that's what got our offer accepted. The woman said she cried when she read our letter and thought it was so sweet that we connected with them through our dog. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412090 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:51:39 +0000 youboots 2412090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could write a really lovely intention letter and write about the future memories you see in the home. Add a couple family photos. Pull on their heartstrings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412088 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:48:06 +0000 cascademom 2412088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does the contingency have to be explicit? We put an offer in on our house once we had an offer on ours. It was still very up in the air until the week before closing thanks to the buyer's mortgage company. At our closing, our real estate lawyer said that we could always take the contingency off the table if need be. It wasn't set in stone or certified documentation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412082 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:34:20 +0000 matador84 2412082@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: interesting and very possible idea!!' </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412080 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:30:50 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2412080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could try increasing your earnest money. If the deal goes through it gets applied to your downpayment.</p> <p>When we bought our home we were competing against another buyer that gave the seller more earnest money. The seller liked our mortgage holder better (big name) and countered us with that. It made them feel better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412076 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:25:26 +0000 matador84 2412076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dcw6411: our realtor suggested it and I will probably do it...I am a pretty persuasive letter writer...ha ha ha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412075 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:23:30 +0000 dcw6411 2412075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you tried a letter? Sometimes if people know your story and know why you love their home so much it may touch their emotional side and swing them your way. That being said, we recently had the same situation and they rejected our offer outright. Turned out to be a blessing in our situation though. Hope something works out for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412068 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:18:56 +0000 matador84 2412068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HLK208: I thought about that too but they already priced it at least a few if not several thousand above appraised value! So we'd be already overpaying. I'm not desperate for the house but def want it and have no idea why they won't budge. They could always take another offer if they don't like ours! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412063 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:14:36 +0000 HLK208 2412063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe offer slightly above asking? And have your real estate agent assure them that you're 100% interested. That's probably the only thing that would have swayed me toward on offer with a contingency. We got so many low ball offers with people who weren't crazy in love with our house so a few of them didn't pursue when we gave them a reasonable counter offer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/creative-real-estate-offers#post-2412061 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 23:09:33 +0000 matador84 2412061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Long story, short-we have/had an offer on a home this week. Two offers actually but both had to have a contingency on our home selling first.</p> <p>I realize it will vary market to market across the country, but where I am unless you are a first time home buyer (unlikely for this type of house) or a flipper or someone with enough cash flow to carry two mortgages, homes rarely sell here without contingencies first. </p> <p>I totally understand why the seller won't take the risk of a sale with a contingency but they made it clear they want to dump the house and look for a quick sell. Any creative ideas of things we can do to get them to change their minds and consider our offers but with contingencies?! </p>