OK –so, of all the homes for sale, you’ve finally found the one you want to buy. How do you know what to offer? While it is a buyers’ market, you still need to be reasonable on where you start. Low-balling the sales price tends to negatively affect the negotiation process. Sellers generally will not even counter back; feeling that the buyers are not serious. To make an effective offer, you should work with your agent to get information on comparable houses sold within the past year and get the pricing of the competition. Chances are you have been out looking at the similar homes for sale so you will have a good feel as to how this property compares to the others for sale. Another factor to consider is how long it has been on the market. If the listing has been on for substantially longer than the average, you may be able to offer a much lower price. Find out the list to sell ratio for that town. In this area, the selling prices are running about 91% of asking. The key to making a successful offer is to have good information. Working closely with a knowledgeable agent will make this process easier, so give me a call if you want to work with an Accredited Buyer’s Representative! 603-526-4116

Donna Forest