The current market is still rolling along with multiple offers and overbidding on a majority of homes in San Francisco. And many buyers are asking: How many offers do I need to write before I get my offer accepted?
I’ve heard some agents talk about having to write 10+ offers before their clients had one accepted. But all I can offer is my own experience and track record, which I thought I would share.
My rule of thumb: If you’ve written five or more offers and haven’t yet had an offer accepted, you may want to pause and reconsider your strategy.
It usually takes one or two submitted and rejected offers to encourage you to evaluate your strategy. Much will depend on your financial resources and risk tolerance, as well as how prepared you are and how flexible you can be in your home choices. For example, if you have more of a condo budget and are trying to purchase a single-family house, you may not be successful. Know your average sale prices, and don’t just give it a shot over and over again because the list price seems to be within range.
What’s key is the ultimate selling price, which will be significantly higher if others are interested.
And if you’re going in with a standard 20% down, 21-day loan approval/30-day close and inspection period, know that in a situation where there are disclosures distributed in the double digits, it will be unlikely that you’ll have your offer considered as is unless you’re offering an extremely competitive price.
The underlying key to all this home-buying stuff is knowing the values in your neighborhoods of choice, and being flexible on what you can live with. Yes, there are many cash sales happening, but most buyers are getting loans. In that case, there’s an element of compromise involved no matter what your budget may be, especially when you’re faced with low inventory and lots of buyer demand.
If you’re about to submit offer #10, you may want to refocus your energy and aim for more realistic possibilities as you continue your house hunt.