Pick me, pick me!
Is it nice to put a face to an offer? Yes. Does a seller really care if you’re a young couple with a baby on the way looking for your first home? Probably not. They want to see how much cash you’re prepared to fork out. This is likely their prized investment, their ticket to retirement so can you really blame them?
A lot of the time, you’ll notice that agents like to have offers emailed to them. That way they can review with their clients without the awkward tango line of realtors waiting outside to plead their clients’ case.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a firm believer in the face-to-face presentation, regardless of how effective (or not) it actually is. I mean, what’s the harm? It helps you get a better gauge on people – what they want to get out of this sale and maybe you paint a picture so compelling of your buyer that they give you a chance to come back with another offer even if you weren’t one of the top bidders or have more reason to pick you if you’re on par with someone else. I’ve seen it happen.
What about you?
Should you sit patiently out front of the house waiting to see if you’re in the game or hang tight at a local coffee shop? If there are multiple offers, which 9 times out of 10 is the case you might find yourself in a bidding war, needing to sign back a sweetened deal.
Don’t make this mistake: pacing back and forth in front of the house hoping the sellers catches a glimpse of you isn’t a tactic. If anything, it’s more of a dissuading factor. So yes, nearby, in the car, or if offers are being emailed, by a scanner, just not on the front stoop.
It’s up to the buyer’s agent to do whatever they can to get a good deal done for their client. In this red hot market, anything you can do to gain some leverage is valuable. If you’re writing up an offer, give your agent and nudge and get them out the door and into the seller’s domain.
Do you think presenting in person helps your chances?
More new this week on the housing markets in Toronto & Vancouver. Check out our earlier post on this top topic!
