Why was my offer not accepted by the seller even though we offered higher than the list price?Missing piece

In my neck of the woods in Alameda , Oakland and Piedmont CA, we’ve had listings during which the winning buyers were not always those who wrote the highest offers.

This is not unusual. Buyers who track the progress of sold properties on which they submitted offers are very surprised when they found out they wrote higher offers but lost anyway.

NOTE:  List price should NOT be the sole basis of  your offer. List price is all part of the pricing strategy -- some agents list less than market value in order to stimulate a bidding situation.


So what are some of the reasons why the highest offer doesn’t always win? 

Take a close look at the details of your offer. Highest price alone doesn’t guarantee the offer is the best one, especially in a competitive situation where there are several offers on the table.

First and foremost, ask

What does the seller want?


Initial deposit You submitted less than 1% of the offer price as your initial deposit.

The higher the better. The higher initial deposit shows seriousness on the part of the buyer to commit resources to complete the transaction. It also shows how much buyer is willing to risk.
Down payment

Are you getting an FHA loan? This may not be as attractive to sellers who are receiving offers for cash or conventional loan.

In short sales, negotiators typically want 30 days or less to close escrow from the time they grant approval. Some FHA lenders may need longer than 30 days which could put the short sale transaction in jeopardy
Escrow period

Sellers are in a hurry to close (heck, they’ve already moved) but you want an escrow period longer than 30 days.

Conversely, seller may have wanted to wait a little longer or even a rent back. But you wanted them out sooner than when they're ready. Did the seller have a contingency to find a replacement property?

Buyer investigation period It’s a competitive situation, but you still specified 17 days to do your inspections. Most realtors can find you inspectors who can get there sooner. And typically, buyers will know from the results of the inspections whether they want to move forward or not. And if you decide to back out, the sooner you back out, the sooner the seller can put the property back on the market.
Pest Inspection mentioned in the contract You asked the seller to pay for your inspections. And you specified wood-destroying organism/pest inspections. Didn’t you and your realtor know that this raises a huge RED  flag among loan underwriters who may insist that Section 1 items of the pest report are cleared/repaired/replaced before they approve the loan?

Most seller will NOT agree to this up front.
Escrow fees and closing costs
 You asked seller to pay for your escrow fees and closing costs. Do you know how much your escrow fees and closing costs are, and is it worth losing out on this sale for that amount?
City and county transfer taxes It’s best to go with what’s customary in your area. Most sellers will accept that condition. But if you ask the seller to pay for all of these, then you might as well just move on to your next offer.
Repairs and credits

If it's an AS IS  sale (typical of short sale or bank-owned listings), it's NOT  a good idea to ask for repairs/credits in the offer before it is accepted and before you even have inspections done. You can wait to ask for it later, depending on the degree and amount of repairs that must be done, and assuming you’re still willing to move forward.
HOA fees where applicable Sellers will normally pay for the cost of getting the HOA documents/ And they are also responsible for keeping up with the HOA payments.

But transferring the HOA membership from theirs to the new buyer is typically borne by the buyer. This is a minor issue, but could be an irritant if the buyer asks for seller to pay for all HOA-related items.
What stays with the house The MLS usually states what the seller is willing to leave behind.

But you asked for the sun and the moon, including some of the seller’s personal property.
Short sale specifics Most short sale listing agents want total commitment from the buyer to stick it out, and will ask buyer to
  • open escrow upon acceptance by the seller and before receipt of short sale approval
  • longer waiting period

But you don’t want to commit, and didn’t do either one. Whereas your competition did. So which buyer do you think the seller would believe more?



Other REALTORs will surely weigh in on more reasons why some offers are rejected by the seller, even when such offers at first glance appear to be decent (but not the best) offers.

What does the seller want?


 
This post has been included in California Real Estate News Alameda County, CA Real Estate News Alameda, CA Real Estate News
Post is included in group: Diary of a Realtor
Post is included in group: Bartender, Make it a Double
Post is included in group: First Time Homebuyer
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41 Comments on Why was my offer rejected though it was higher than list price?

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MAY
29
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Judi --- thanks....having represented buyers who lose out on deals because they didn't listen, I wanted to enumerate the reasons why they didn't get their offers accepted.

Erica --- that's another reason :)
6:34pm • #22
761,761 Points 69 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Great post Pacita.  It is a little different in your neck of the woods in that, anything less than 3% down won't work here at all, and 99% of the time we ask for termite inspection and remediation from the seller, even in short sales and REOs.  We expect to get them in a standard sale.  But with all the condiitions asked for above, i am not surprised a buyer is going to end up sorely disappointed.
6:51pm • #23
412,718 Points 13 Featured Posts

Yes, buyers fail to realize that there is more to an offer than just the sale price. Deposits, closing dates, demands for closing costs, repair limits, or just plain buyer likeability play roles.

I have had sellers pick buyers who were offering less just because both wives were into quilting and the seller wife knew that the buyer wife would enjoy and preserve her special craft room.

In the end, buyers just have to realize that sometimes there are multiple offers and that means that one buyer will get the home and the others will not. Nothing personal, just accept it and move on. Almost invariably, the rejected buyers will find a home that they like as much or more than the one they lost. I have seen that happen many times.
7:30pm • #24
243,626 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master
Terms can be just as important as price! Sometimes timeframes are more important to some sellers. This is a great reference for buyers to consider in putting their best foot forward when they negotiate to purchase their dream home, whether they are in competition or not!
7:46pm • #25
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Jane -- as they say, real estate is local. We are in such a competitive environment that it is rightly described as a seller's market in our area. And yes, 3% initial deposit is definitely recommended. But we have some folks who still insist on a token deposit. Go figure.

John -- the chemistry between buyer and seller as well as their agents will play into the equation. The emotional attachment and outreach are so important.

Karen -- that's why we need to know what's important to the seller.
8:59pm • #26
548,216 Points 9 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Pacita:

You ask a very important question when it comes to writing a successful offer.  Pay attention to what the seller wants and try and accommodate the seller as best you can.   It is nice that we are back in a multiple offer situation, but it makes the buyers and their agents  job of writing an acceptable offer harder
9:44pm • #27
975,216 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Lots of good points are made here on issues that can make you win or lose!
9:51pm • #28
880,784 Points 10 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pacita, great post and very detailed list of factors that help seller decide what offer to take. After all, money is not everything...
10:52pm • #29
421,929 Points 16 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Great post Pacita, I would always accept a lower offer over one that is not likely to close or will cost a lot in silly terms. And when I make an offer, I keep it as simple as possible, knowing that smart sellers will accept less if you don't play games or expect them to share your financing risks while other buyers disappear.

 
11:04pm • #30
517,611 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Pacita,

What an excellent way of presenting these reasons for rejected offers! 
11:46pm • #31
MAY
30
651,928 Points 70 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Very nice post.  This breaks it down very well.  Thanks for sharing.                                                                                  
4:01am • #32
556,002 Points 31 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi Pacita,

The buyers agent represents the buyer and wants to get them the best deal.

But if you ask for too much, you don't get the deal at all.

Phil
4:22am • #33
984,553 Points 106 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

There are so many reasons, and you've selected many of the most common, Pacita. This is a great post. People get too hung up on price and forget all the other little factors in an offer. I had an offer accepted by a seller the other day simply because the buyer was related to the agent, and the agent lived in that neighborhood. They wanted to live near each other. This was a short sale (of course) and the seller felt this combination and motivation was her best shot at a buyer who would wait for approval.
5:34am • #34
175,753 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Great, comprehensive list.  True to any negotiation, what motivates the other party is vitally important to you.  Find out what that is and offer accordingly.  I love working with clients and their agents in this regard because there are so many variables.
5:49am • #35
318,819 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

I have this conversation a lot with both buyers and sellers,  the offer is the whole package not just the price.
12:26pm • #36
MAY
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Evelyn --- to help our clients, it helps to research the challenge, starting by asking questions about the seller's situation and preferences.

Cheryl -- and of course, there are situations where you simply can't win, as when the seller wants to sell to a member of the family or circle of friends, but felt he still needed to advertise it for sale

Praful -- so many examples of when money didn't talk

Bob -- in several cases, we didn't take offers that were so high they couldn't possibly appraise. As such, buyers may ask for price reduction or even back out. There are times when terms, conditions and intent play a bigger part in getting accepted.

DeeDee - thanks for the compliment

The Christiansens --- Glad you found this helpful.
12:42am • #37
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Phil -- like you said, if you ask for too much, you won't get the deal. There is such a thing as moderation.

Elizabeth -- short sales require even more of an understanding in what motivates the seller (and the agent). Obviously our hope is to find the best possible offer with the highest probability of getting approved.

Rob -- it always surprises me when people make a decision based on something that may not have mattered to others but it does to them. And that's what's important to understand and accept

Kathy -- all the pieces have to fit. Absolutely!
12:45am • #38
Outside Blog

Excellent post ... thanks for sharing!
6:22am • #39
JUN
02
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Pacita, until all 200,000+ members have read and commented, this hasn't been properly circulated. SUPERB!!!!!

Sharon
3:23pm • #40
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Ron -- thanks for your kind words

Frank and Sharon -- how so very nice of you to think that way. Glad you found this helpful
9:30pm • #41

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Pacita Rainmaker_large

Pacita Dimacali - ePRO, SRES, CDPE, MBA Alain Pinel in Alameda County CA

Oakland, CA

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Alain Pinel

Address: 6211 La Salle Ave, Oakland, CA, 94611

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