When you find the home that you want, you want to make sure that you get it for the best deal possible. There are going to be very few people who will pay what the seller is asking, which is why they add a few thousand dollars to the purchase price. They want to have room to negotiate and get the price that they really want and need. Make sure that when you make an offer that you have done your homework and know what homes like the one you are putting a bid on are selling for.
Whatever the homes have sold for make an offer ten to fifteen thousand dollars less than what they sold for. Just make sure that you do not insult the seller with such a low price that they will not want to deal with you. Try to find out why the seller wants to sell their home. Are they retired and wanting to move to a smaller home? Are they moving out of state for a job? Are they selling because of a divorce? If you are lucky to know the answer as to what is motivating them to sell you may be able to negotiate a better deal, especially if the seller wants to make a quick sale.
Ask your real estate agent to find out what the seller owes on the home. This will help with negotiating with a seller whose home is worth less than what they owe on the home and the one who has a lot of equity in the home.
If possible, look at homes that have been on the market for forty five to sixty days as by this time the owner is ready to sell because they are tired of trying to keep the home spotless and picture perfect and having people walking through their home at various time during the day and evening. In addition, by this time the amount of people that are interested in the seller's home has declined and they just want to sell their home.
When you are negotiating with a seller offer them a fair deal if they pay the closing costs or if they agree to leave the washer, drier, refrigerator, and stove then you could negotiate to pay them a few thousand less than what they are asking. If you and the seller are within a couple of thousand dollars of what the seller wants for their house, do not squabble over that small amount as you might lose the house you really want.
