Courtesy of John and Raine Curtis, REALTOR®

Tips on Buying in a Tight Market

Increase your chances of getting your dream house instead of losing it to another buyer, with these easy steps.

Get prequalified for a mortgage. In this way, you’ll be able to make a firm commitment to buy and make your offer more desirable to the seller.

Stay in close touch with your real estate sales associate to find out first about new listings that come on the market. And be ready to go see a house as soon as it goes on the market.

Scout out new listings yourself. Look at Internet sites, newspaper ads, and drive by the neighborhood frequently. Maybe you’ll see a brand-new “for sale” sign before anyone else.

Be ready to make a decision. Spend lots of time in advance deciding what you must have so you won’t be unsure when you have the chance to make an offer.

Bid competitively. You may not want to start out offering the absolutely highest price you can afford, but don’t try to go to low and get a deal. In a tight market, you’ll lose out.

Keep contingencies to a minimum. Restrictions such as needing to sell your home before you move or wanting to delay the closing until a certain date can make your offer unappealing. In a tight market, you’ll probably be able to sell you house rapidly. Or talk to your lender about getting a bridge loan to cover both mortgages for a short period.

Don’t get caught in a buying frenzy. Just because there’s competition doesn’t mean you should just buy anything. And even though you want to make your offer attractive, don’t neglect inspections that help ensure that your house is sound.

www.REALTOR.org/realtormag Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® . Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.

Click here for printer-friendly format

Contact Us

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website.  Let us know how we can be of service to you!  If you need to speak with us immediately, Chat Live with us on the "About Us" Page or give us a call anytime!

Please enter your requirements below for a complete report on properties which meet your needs. Please include your valid e-mail address for responses.
* Required fields are blue
First Name
Last Name
E-mail
Phone
Type of Home:	Single-family Multifamily Town-Home Condo Land Commercial Investment Residential Patio-Home
Desirable Communities and/or Towns:
Price Range:	$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no minimum to $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no maximum
Minimum Number of Bedrooms:	1 2 3 4 5
Minimum Number of Bathrooms	1 2 3 4 5
Minimum Square Footage:	any 600 800 1000 1200 1800 2000 2250 2500 2750 3000 3500 4000
Time Frame to Buy / Sell / Invest:	Immediately Three months Six months Six to twelve months Three to six-months Twelve to twentyfour months One year
Address
City
State/Province	Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island Saskatchewan South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington Washington DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
ZIP/Postal Code
Special Requirements