Increase Your Earnest Money Deposit
Your earnest money deposit, or EMD, is the amount of money you put down to prove to the seller you want to buy the house. Putting down more money shows the seller that you’re more serious about the sale. The typical amount of an EMD is 1% to 3% of the sales price of the home. Offering 3% to 4% may be what it takes to persuade the seller to side with you.- Pay for the Home Warranty Yourself Sellers will occasionally offer a prospective buyer a home warranty. This is a plan that, according to Angie’s List, costs around $300 to $600 and covers the repair of larger home appliances, such as the air conditioner and hot water heater, if they malfunction within a certain time period after purchasing the home. Usually the time period is one year. If you want the home warranty but feel that buying it yourself would ease negotiations, tell the seller they don’t need to cover it – then buy it yourself. Regardless of who buys the warranty, you will be responsible for paying the service fee, usually between $50 and $100, if something needs to be repaired while under warranty. You must remember that a home warranty is separate and different from homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance covers your home’s structure and possessions in case of a fire, storm, flood, or other accident. If you take out a mortgage, homeowners insurance is required, and it can costs around $300 to $1,000 each year.
- Ask for Fewer Concessions Buying a house entails paying for more than just the asking price of the house. Home buyers have to pay closing costs for taxes, lender’s fees, and title company fees at a mortgage settlement. Depending on your location, the closing costs will vary. You will likely end up paying between 3% and 4% of the home’s sales price. The seller pays an additional 1% to 3%. You can use the closing cost calculator on our website to help you get a rough estimate of what your closing costs might be. When you make your initial offer, you have the opportunity to ask the seller for concessions – usually a cash settlement paid to offset your share of the closing costs. Asking for concessions can work to your advantage as long as you aren’t going up against multiple offers. Making concessions lowers the seller’s net proceeds, and you may receive a counteroffer that removes your requested concessions. In this case, cash goes back in the seller’s pocket, but this can also improve your bid.
6 beds, 5 full, 2 part baths
Added: 08/22/20, Last Updated: 08/22/2020
Property Type: Detached Home for Sale
MLS Number: VAFX1148124
Subdivision: None Available
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