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Contingencies and House Offers: What You Need to Know

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Just like everyone talks about the excitement of college but not the uncomfortable dorm beds, just like people say they had a “great time” at Thanksgiving but skip the part where Aunt Tonya said the government was spying on her, contingencies are an often unmentioned—but highly important—part of the home buying process.

Except unlike those aforementioned scenarios, contingencies are a good thing. They protect you in the process of buying a home, which is likely the biggest financial investment you’ll make in your lifetime. Take a look at how contingent offers on a house work!

Types of Contingencies

Getting your offer accepted feels amazing, but before you officially seal the deal,, you want to make sure you’ve covered your bases. There are three main types of contingencies that people include in their written offer:

Financing

Pre-approval on a loan does not guarantee approval for on your actual loan application. The bank might not agree with the house you chose, or their appointed appraiser might find the home’s value at less than what you’re asking to borrow. If you include this contingency into your offer, you’ll be able to back out of the contract.

Home Inspection

Home inspections examine the condition of a property and inform you of any issues. They happen after your offer is accepted, which is why you want to make the sale contingent on the inspection results. Minor bathroom fixes may only be $100 or so; cracks in the foundation are another story.

If you don’t include inspection contingencies in your offer, you’re agreeing to accept the home as-is. This adds risk to your investment—you could end up spending thousands on previously unnoticed repairs. However, people who invest in real estate and flip houses purposely accept a home as-is so that they can close faster and start renovating. 

Needless to say, you have options with home inspections when making a contingent offer on a house. The best thing you can do is to make this contingency decision with intention and in alliance with your needs.

Home Sale

First-time property owners won’t have to worry about this one, but it’s good to know all the same. If you currently own a house and are worried about it selling in time for closing, make a contingency that buying a new house depends on the sale of your existing home. But be wary of this contingency—today’s market is highly competitive. Your offer could be rejected if a home sale contingency is in place.

Writing Contingencies

There’s a delicate balance to writing contingencies in your offer. On the one hand, you want to protect yourself as you move forward with this massive investment. On the other, your contingencies (depending on what they are) could leave your letter of offer repeatedly rejected.

Sellers may get several offers; they may even get dozens. You’ll want your offer to stand out, but you won’t want to compromise your finances in the process.

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That’s the great thing about working with RealtyHive. Sellers don’t have to worry about contingencies when selling at a time-limited event, and can even end up with more offers. Look for your next home or sell your current one with RealtyHive. We’ll help you navigate!

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5 Reasons to Rent Instead of Rushing to Buy

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Home shopping can be an exciting, yet nerve-wracking time. There are a lot of important decisions to be made and those choices can impact you and your family for many years to come. Is this the right house? Are we getting a fair deal? Are we making the right choice?

In a highly competitive housing market, there can be huge disadvantages to taking the time to carefully consider your decision. Wait to submit the offer? Lose the house. Have to sell your house before you can buy? You might get lucky, maybe not. It may seem counterintuitive to go from homeownership to renting, just to go back owning again, but here’s why you may want to consider renting instead of rushing.  

5 Reasons to Rent Instead of Rushing to Buy

       1). You’ll know your budget

A huge advantage to selling your home before you buy a new one is that you’ll know exactly what you’re working with in terms of finances. Planning on upsizing? You’ll want to know how much of a price increase you can afford. Downsizing? You’ll need to consider what to do with the profits of your sale. Either way, it’s much easier to do this math when you know what you’re concretely working with.

        2). You’ll be first in line

Without having a home of your own to sell before buying a new one, you are able to submit a more enticing offer to sellers, especially those looking for a quick close. This free-and-clear method, paired with knowing your budget, means that you will be ready to act on any home that interests you and work on your own timeframe.

       3). You can take advantage of the hot market

Real estate prices are at an all-time high in a lot of places, but experts debate how long this streak will last. Now may be the time for you to sell at a premium, but that doesn’t mean you want to buy at a premium, either. Rent just until you find the right deal.

       4). Buying a fixer-upper is a little easier

If you’ve already found a place to rent and you’re getting accustomed to your new temporary digs, it might not be such a stretch for you to imagine staying a little longer. Instead of buying a more expensive move-in ready home, you make the option of a reno project a little more palatable. After all, you just moved in, what’s another month or two– especially if it’ll shave a few years off your mortgage.

       5). You may get to remember the joys of renting

Building amenities are one of the truly great things about rental life and can be a great upside to renting between homes. From included utilities to complementary gyms or community pools, these features can definitely help to smooth the transition.

Want to find your perfect home from motivated sellers who want to see your offer? Check out the properties in our next upcoming time-limited event by clicking here!

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New Year, New Home? How to Tell if You’re Ready to Buy

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So you’ve decided to make the jump.

Maybe you want to be able to paint the walls any color you’d like, or have a backyard for your dog to play in. Maybe you’re just tired of having the expense of rent instead of the investment of homeownership. We hear you, and you’re right, homeownership comes with many advantages. Before you start picking patterns for curtains, you’ve got a few other things to work out. Here’s what you need to ask yourself to decide if you’re ready to buy a home.

What’s your money situation?

More than likely you’re going to need a loan to buy your home, especially if this is your first home purchase. In this case, the first step is to talk with a mortgage lender to find out exactly what you are approved for. They’ll talk with you and find out what your current assets and debts are. They’ll ask about your income, check your credit score, and basically assess the situation to help you figure out where you’re at. Once you know the general math, you’ll be able to start looking for a home. One thing to consider, though, is that home prices are not all-inclusive. If you buy a home for $150,000, that’s not the only price you’re liable to pay right away. You’ll be expected to pay homeowners insurance, closing costs, and sometimes Homeowners Association fees all right away as well. All this needs to be factored into your math when purchasing your home.

What does your future hold?

While no one can predict the future, you should have a guess of what the next few months, and ideally years, hold for you. Shortly after closing on a new home is not the time to quit your steady job in favor of becoming a freelance harmonica tuner. (no matter what the couples in House Hunters make you think). You’re also going to want to make sure your new home is in an area you’d like to stay in. Are you planning to stay put for a while or are you thinking of leaving the country to teach abroad? If you have children or intend to, how are the schools in the area? Will you have enough bedrooms? Does the neighborhood seem safe? Sure, if you find that you don’t want to or can’t live in your house after a few months or years, you do have options. You could sell or rent it out, but both of those options come with their own challenges.

Are you being realistic?

Sure, you want to find your dream home in a wonderful location priced below your budget, but that rarely happens. More often you’re going to have to make some concessions when it comes to finding the right home. Is having a detached garage a real deal breaker for you or can you overlook that fact for a spacious kitchen? Do you have your heart set on a charming old Victorian home, but cringe at the thought of making significant updates right off the bat? Will you be able to afford the utility costs of heating/cooling/lighting a 7300 square foot home or would you be better suited for a smaller place? Do you really want to move you, your spouse, and 3 Great Danes into a “tiny home”? These are all things that need to be considered. You’re better off by recognizing these trade-offs in the beginning and addressing them than to ignore the reality of your situation.

Owning a home is an investment, but choosing the right one and making sure you’re ready, both financially and otherwise, are the biggest factors in making the decision successful. Long story short, you should buy because you’re ready, not because you think you need to. Whether you’re just browsing or are ready to take the plunge, RealtyHive can help. Check out our upcoming auctions to find homes in your area at the best value!

 

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How To Afford A Home

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Rebates for Homebuyers (And Sellers!)

What Is a Non-Recourse Loan?

Navigating Real Estate Auctions

First Night Packing For New Homeowners