Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What Is Involved In Making An Offer On A Home?

A purchase offer is a written document submitted by a prospective home buyer to the seller of a residential property. This legal document is executed once an individual is bent on purchasing the home he or she would like to live in or would like to have as an investment. But the process only begins there as negotiations between the seller and the buyer will still be involved to make sure that every detail is to their liking.

When a homebuyer has set his or her eyes on a certain property, he or she may work with a real estate agent and fill up a purchase offer form or make one themselves that will be based according to their terms and conditions. If a buyer doesn't want to get an agent, he or she should consult with a real estate lawyer on this matter.

In the U.S., real estate laws vary from state to state hence, it is advisable that a buyer check out the standard form in his state. Learning about this legal form beforehand is the right thing to do as it will help one understand the items that need to be specified in the document.

In writing a purchase offer, one of the important things a buyer needs to include are the fixtures that he or she wants to stay or get rid of in his future home. Specifically, the fixtures here refer to the things that are attached permanently to a residential property such as kitchen cabinets as well as heating and cooling systems. A house listed with a multiple listing agency would usually state what items the seller wants to sell with his or her house. If there are decorative items that a potential buyer would like to stay, then it should be noted in the offer. Other items that might be included are the outdoor storage buildings, windows, light fixtures and garage door openers.

A purchase offer must be based on the property's present condition and the items that a buyer expects to be included or rid of. After a seller reviews the offer to purchase, the negotiation between the two parties starts.

Of course, a seller may not totally agree with the buyer's terms and conditions upon receiving the first offer. He or she may just cross out some of the items not amenable to his terms and should put his initial on the changes. Otherwise, if a seller disagrees with the whole offer, he or she may propose a counter offer.

Apart from the fixtures, other items in the offer that may involve some haggling are the purchase price, the party responsible for paying the closing costs, the closing date and delivery of title and the date the seller needs to move out from the property.

Several counter offers can be exchanged during negotiations but the final contract can only be reached once both parties agree to the modifications in the offer and put them in writing. When the document is signed by the seller and the buyer, the purchase offer becomes legal.

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