Buying a home is the most important financial investment that you will ever make. There are dozens of details to take care of before you close on a property, the most important one may be making the initial offer to buy. Most people with minimal market knowledge choose to work with a professional realtor for guidance when buying a home. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to make an offer on any property you choose without an agent.
The key is having a clear idea of what type of home you are looking for and the area in which you would like to live. Doing your research about the surrounding market will provide you with invaluable tools to help you make a wise decision about the home that you want.
You don’t need to be a licensed realtor to make an offer on a property. Anyone can make a legal offer on a home for sale as long as certain guidelines are followed. Let’s take a look at a few tips on how to make an offer on a house without an agent in 2022.
Do Your Research
It is not recommended that you act spontaneously when dealing with real estate. Buying a home is a huge financial responsibility, and everything to do with the process should be considered carefully. One of the best ways to enable yourself to make a wise decision is to do your research.
You will need to find out as much detail about the home in which you are interested as you can. Knowing the size, age, and condition of a home is imperative and you can get this information from the listing agent. From there, you need to broaden your research beyond the home itself and take a look at the neighborhood and larger community.
Put It in Writing
Verbal offers on a home are not legal or binding in most circumstances. If you want to make a serious offer on a home, you will need to put it in writing. You can have your lawyer draw up an offer proposal, find a template online, or just wing it on your own. Your offer should include this information:
- Property address
- Amount of deposit presented
- Applicable contingencies and conditions on your offer
- Closing date
- Amount of offer
- Offer timeline and deadline
Wait for a Response
Most offers on real estate will include a deadline for the sellers to respond. You should hear something back within that time frame. It can be stressful to wait for a response to your offer, but it’s important to not interfere with the process. The sellers have a lot to consider and have the right to take the full amount of allotted time to make their decision.
If your offer is approved, it’s time to celebrate. However, there will be more work for you to do before your closing and moving date. If you are serious about buying a property, your first move will be to follow these steps to make an offer on a home without an agent.