Making an Offer

Before the offer to purchase is created, it is very important that you have been at least pre-qualified or better yet, pre-approved by a lender.

This is one of the best negotiating tools a buyer can have. It shows the seller that you are financially able to purchase the home. After you have found the right home, it is time to prepare the offer.

When you are buying a home, there are many problems that the seller is obligated to disclose. For example, in most states, it is illegal to withhold information about major physical defects on the property, but these disclosures don't always paint the entire picture of the home. Here are six questions you may want to ask that can offer additional insight about the prospective home before you make a final decision.

1) Why is the seller selling the house? This question may help you evaluate the "real value" of the property. Is there something about the house the seller does not like? If so, you may be able to adjust the purchase offer accordingly.

2) How much did the seller pay for the home? This question can, in some instances, help the buyer negotiate a better deal-maybe even get the seller to carry part of the loan. However, it is important to remember that the purchase price is influenced by several factors, like the current market value and any improvements the seller may have made to the home. The original purchase price might not have anything to do with the current value of the house.

3) What does the seller like most and least about the property? By asking the seller what they like most and least about the property, you might get some interesting information. In a few cases, what a seller likes the most about a home might actually be something the buyer is looking to avoid. For example, if the seller describes his house as being in a "happening community," the buyer might consider this a negative factor because the area may be too noisy or busy for their taste.

4) Has the seller had any problems with the home in the past? It is also a good idea to ask the seller if they have had any problems with the home while living there. Has the seller had problems with a leakage from the upstairs bathroom in the past? If so, even if the leak has been corrected, the floor and walls around the bathroom might have been damaged. You should also check that these items were repaired properly.

5) Are there any nuisances or problem neighbors? Use this answer to find out about any noisy neighbors, barking dogs, heavy airplane traffic, or even planned changes to the community, such as a planned street widening. This may give you insight into why the seller is really moving.

6) How are the public schools in the area? Because the value of a community is usually greatly influenced by the public schools in the area, finding out the buyer's perception can give you some insight into the quality of the area's schools.

Knowing all you can about a prospective home, not only helps you decide if it's the home of your dreams but what offer to make as well. Your real estate professional can help you get your key questions answered and give you advice on how to evaluate your findings.

Home Buyer Testimonials
Cassie Spears and her team are nothing but the best when it comes to selling and buying a home! She has always been patient, responsive and honestly made the process of buying and selling as seamless as possible. We will never use or recommend anyone but the Spears team. Cassie truly cares about her clients! She even does fun- family friendly care packages, fun giveaways and posts great information about local businesses on her Facebook page!
Taylor Norrell
Cassie is the best. Very professional and very informative. I was able to get exactly what I wanted and more! I have my forever realtor and would never use anyone else!
Mitch Harmon
Cassie and her team helped my family and I find a home perfect for us as we grow into a bigger family. She made our checklist of things we wanted in our first home a priority, and she more than exceeded our expectations! If it wasn’t for her great google, Zillow, and Facebook reviews I would’ve never found a realtor in Burleson TX as exceptional as Cassie! Being a first time buyer I really researched my options on choosing an agent and I definitely recommend the Cassie Spears team to literally everyone! I look forward to working with this team in the future when it’s time to sell and buy our next/forever home for our family.
Valarie Cole
Cassie and her team helped me find a perfect home for my family even in this challenging sellers market. With very limited inventory, she and her team made sure I found exactly what I was looking for while negotiating on my behalf to ensure I beat out the multiple offers on the house I wanted. I highly recommend her team of highly skilled professionals. Thank you so much Cassie Spears Team!
Mason H
Selling your house, searching for and buying a new house and the timing of it all can be a daunting task. Cassie did a ton of work behind the scenes and made it a very smooth transition. I don’t look forward to moving again. But when I do, I will definitely have The Cassie Spears Team help me again!
DRT NockOut
Cassie has been amazing from the jump! She made finding a home easy and personable. My experience with her to date has been nothing but exemplary and completely professional. If you aren’t on the Cassie train already, you’re on the wrong “tracks”!
Trenton Eberhart
Cassie is the best! She is patient and knowledgeable and encouraging and resourceful and confident and supportive and just all the adjectives you'd want describing the person helping you with such a huge purchase and commitment. Her positive energy and honest truths made my first time buying a home a breeze. 10/10 would recommend!
Ryan
Cassie was instrumental in assisting us in our recent home purchase. It was more than transactional to her, she was truly genuine and caring. The knowledge that she has and is willing to share about real estate is absolutely amazing. She was able to anticipate my questions before I even asked them. I’m so grateful to have her guide us through this process as it’s been many years since we purchased a home and things have changed quite a bit. I highly recommend her even if you’re in the early stages and need some advice or direction she is there to support every step of the way.
Dana G.
I can’t say enough good things about Cassie and her team. As first time home buyers, we were pretty overwhelmed and confused by the process. Cassie simplified it all and explained every aspect every step of the way. It’s rare to find a realtor that truly cares about their clients and making sure they are set up for success in the home they choose. Cassie did just that. She was punctual, responsive and so friendly! When our closing was taking longer then expected she was on the phone every day pushing and making sure we closed on time. Cassie is also the queen of negotiating and we got everything we asked for and MORE in our new home. We couldn’t be happier or more confident in our choice. As she says, we ended up in the home we were meant to be in. When you choose the Cassie Spears Team, you are more than just a client, you become a member of their family. This was obvious to us when Cassie offered to bring us firewood during the snowstorm and we were without power for 24 hours. Tim dropped everything and brought us enough to get us through the freezing night. I highly recommend The Cassie Spears Team. You won’t find someone with more experience, knowledge, drive, and compassion!
Emma Epps
I’ve personally used Cassie Spears as my real estate agent to sell 2 houses, as well as to buy 3 houses. She is the VERY BEST at what she does! Always professional, always listens, always patient (the list could go on and on). I know there are a lot of options to choose from in the area, but in my opinion, Cassie is the best/only choice!
Jeff Turner
Cassie is top-notch, professional, friendly and just overall easy-going and comfortable to be around. She helped my wife and I find the perfect house and was very patient with us (we looked at a LOT of houses)... I’ve called on Cassie several times over the years and that ain’t changing anytime soon. She rocks. Call her.
Tommy Owen
Cassie Spears is extremely professional and experienced. She found us the perfect home in the perfect location and then helped us get our offer accepted over the competing offers.
Brooke Owen
Cassie was everything I was looking for in a realtor when buying my first house. She made the process seem much less intimidating and confusing. Not only was she extremely professional and good at her job, but she went above and beyond in making my fiance and I feel special. I decided I wanted to surprise my fiance by putting an offer on her dream house without her knowing. Cassie jumped in and helped me pull off the surprise perfectly! I couldn't have asked for a better home buying experience. I can't recommend her enough. Thank you for everything Cassie Spears Team!
Cody Mutina
Cassie and her team were absolutely phenomenal during my house hunting venture. Not only were they great property managers, but went above and beyond during this crazy housing market! Cassie got me into the right home with her knowledge of the market. Whether you're renting or buying with her, you won't go wrong! She takes pride in getting a positive experience for her clients. Y'all rock!
Paul Grimes