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Making an Offer on a Home

Your offer to purchase

Working with your REALTOR®, you will prepare a purchase and sale agreement when you are prepared to make an offer on a house.  He or she will then present that agreement to the home's seller.

The purchase and sale agreement includes many things, among them:

• The type of financing you are seeking
• The price you are offering to pay
• The amount of your down payment
• The mortgage amount, including the maximum interest rate you're willing to pay
• The amount of earnest money
• A legal description of the property
• The closing date
• The occupancy date
• Personal property to be conveyed in the home
• Expiration date for your offer

Your purchase and sale agreement may also include contingencies, requiring a specific action to take place before the contract goes into effect.  Your REALTOR® will help you determine if contingencies are in order in your specific case; some common contingencies include home repairs, environmental concerns, home inspection and appraisals.