Price is one term out of a dozen in an offer. In a market where buyers have more room to negotiate than they did a year ago, the temptation is to lead with a lowball number. The stronger move is usually a clean offer at a fair number, not the lowest number you can get away with.

The terms that carry weight besides price

A pre-approval letter, not a pre-qualification, tells a seller your financing is solid rather than theoretical. Sellers who have been through a financing fall-through before know the difference. Earnest money size signals seriousness: a thin deposit reads as a buyer who might walk, a solid one reads as a buyer who is committed. A flexible closing date, one that matches what the seller actually needs rather than the fastest date possible, can outweigh an extra few thousand dollars to a motivated seller.

Contingencies: what to keep, what to waive

The four standard contingencies, inspection, financing, appraisal, and title, each protect you from a specific risk. Waiving one only makes sense when you understand exactly what you are giving up and can absorb the downside if it goes wrong. An inspection contingency waived on a property with unknown mechanical age is a different risk than one waived on a home you already toured carefully. In today’s market, with more room to negotiate than a year ago, waiving contingencies to win a bidding war is less often necessary than it was two years ago. Fewer buyers are competing for the same house, which changes the calculation on what you need to give up to win.

The earnest money number, put plainly

Earnest money in this market typically runs one to three percent of the purchase price, held in escrow and applied toward your down payment or closing costs at close. It is at risk if you back out for a reason not covered by your contingencies. Structured correctly, it protects both sides rather than exposing you.

The right structure for your specific offer, what to lead with, what to hold back, what to waive and what to protect, is exactly what I build with every buyer client before an offer goes out. Book a consultation and we will build your actual offer together.

Free guide: Making an Offer: Earnest Money, Contingencies, and What Actually Wins

More questions: Can I back out of buying a house in Oregon? · How much house can I afford? · How long does it take to close on a house in Oregon?