An Offer to Purchase a Home: Have You Weighed the Pros and Cons?

It can take weeks, even months, to find a house for which you want to make an offer to purchase. Finding that house with the kitchen that will give you room to prepare gourmet meals or a great room that will accommodate all your children's friends at one time is exciting. When you find the house that you can just picture yourself living in reason and logic can go right out the window! There are some important facts of life that you must come to grips with when you finally decide to make and offer on a house.

The most important consideration when making an offer on a house is the price. Can you actually afford to buy the house if your offer is accepted? That is why it is crucial to be pre-qualified by a lender. The home seller will be reassured that your offer will stand if they accept it when you can prove a lender has already established your ability to purchase the house.

In addition to the price you offer for the purchase of a house, you need to consider whether or not you are prepared to accept or make a counter offer. The seller may feel your purchase offer is too low. If the seller makes a counter offer for a higher price are you prepared to pay the price they counter back with?

Are you willing to purchase the house even if all or some of your contingencies are refused by the seller? For instance, you may decide you want the seller to include a particular fixture, you want them to pay for a home inspection, you ask that the chimney be cleaned or some other item or action as a contingency of your offer to purchase. What are your non-negotiable issues?

Another important consideration before you make an offer to purchase a home is the location of the house. Even if the floor plan is perfect, the square footage is right on target and you absolutely love the kitchen, if the house is in an undesirable location you may want to reconsider. A corner house often is difficult to sell-or resell. A house located on a busy street or side-street also tends to be less desirable.

The age of the home can be an important consideration when making an offer to purchase a house. An older home will require more maintenance and upkeep, on an on-going basis. New construction is nice, but you will need to spend several seasons planting grass and landscaping the yard. The cost of major landscaping should be considered in addition to the purchase price of a house if you are interested in purchasing a new home.

A topic to be addressed prior to your making an offer to purchase a home is the home owner's association restrictions and rules, zoning ordinances, and other issues that could impact your plans. Will it be alright for you to erect the type of fence you would like to install? Is it possible that zoning allows for a convenience store right down the street?

How does the house fit into your long-term plan? Does the house have the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you'll want in five years-say after you start a family, or an elderly parent comes to live with you? Or will you need to move again when your family situation changes? Is that an option? Is that your plan, or will moving so soon throw you off your mark?

These are all important questions to discuss before you ever put pen to paper. If you've been pre-qualified by a lender, you'll have a general idea of what you can comfortably afford in your current situation. If you've discussed your future plans, you'll have a reasonable sense of your situation in the future. Finally you need to decide if you can live with your decision if the seller says yes!