Why Don’t the Sellers Like my Offer?

The first thing to understand about an offer is that there are many, many components to an offer. Many buyers believe that the only thing that matters is the price. Any experienced listing broker will explain all offers to their their sellers. They will point out the pros and cons of all offers. Price is only one line on a 25 page contract. It is very significant obviously but many times a higher price offer is rejected in favor of a stronger overall contract. This is what often confuses and frustrates buyers. Their buyer agent is not really doing them a favor by not explaining things to them. Especially when we have been in a seller’s market for some time now. Sellers are still pretty much in complete control.

The important thing for buyers and their real estate agent to consider 

There are way too many scenarios to take into account when writing an offer. There are some important ones that need to be understood buy all buyers. Hopefully if you are a buyer your buyer agent goes over most of them with you when you are making an unreasonable request on a contract. The best way for a buyer to relate is, would you accept the offer that you are about to present to this seller? If the answer is “no” you might want to reconsider what you are putting in the contract. You need to really ask yourself this question in a seller’s market. If the answer to the question is anything but a solid “yes absolutely” there is a good chance the seller will reject your offer. Now buyers shouldn’t give up things that make them feel uncomfortable by any means. If you have a list of demands for a certain house and don’t think it is worth what the sellers are asking any the buyer wants to offer 10% under list price on a home that has only been listed for 2 days, perhaps this is n’t the right home to be making an offer on.

Financing in an offer

When you make your offer in Colorado you tell the seller what type of financing you are going to obtain. The most popular ones are cash, conventional, FHA, VA and other (specify). Now the most powerful one is cash obviously then conventional. The FHA and VA unfortunately make your offer not as strong. So if buyer 1 offers 490k on a 500k listing cash, and buyer 2 offers 485K on the same listing but with an FHA loan, if all other things in the contract are the same or close, the cash offer is the better offer. There is an unknown variable that worries buyers, an FHA loan. This could also hold true for a conventional loan as well. If there are financing contingencies it is another thing that can go wrong. Is it worth it for the sellers to have that extra 5k on a deal that might take their home off the market for a month? Most Realtors would say “nope”. The finance piece is one of the major strengths or weaknesses of an offer. It easy to overcome sometimes by making another part of your offer stronger.

Dates and Deadlines

In the Colorado contract to buy real estate there is what is called the date matrix. This date matrix has a bunch of dates and deadlines. Some of the important ones that can make your offer stronger or weaker are the inspection objection deadline, loan conditions and the closing date. The other dates are important but these are the three that give the buyer the best ability to exit the contract without (usually) the forfeiture of earnest money. The first one, inspection objection deadline, huge, huge deadline. This is where most deals fall out of contract. It is basically a second sitting at the negotiation table. It’s a very important time in the contract. This date should be as soon in the contract as possible and still give the buyer the appropriate amount of time to get all inspections done. Properties in the Denver Foothills need inspections like (but not limited to) well, septic, radon, home and roof sometimes. There are other ones that your Realtor should advise you one. All these inspections take some time but sellers in a sellers market won’t give you more than you need. Remember if you pull out after inspections it not only takes the home off the market for a couple weeks but it also plants a red flag to the next potential buyers. The next date would be the loan conditions. This is pretty far into the contract but an important date. Another easy out for buyers. Not much to explain here. Either you get the loan you want or you bail. The next date that sellers really look at is closing. Keep in mind their view of closing is simple “how long will my home be off the market if the buyer fails to perform”. A six month close in a sellers market is pretty unlikely. Sellers want the transaction to be over fast. Maybe not too fast though because the seller might still need to find a home of their own and get under contract. That is why it is important for the buyer to know if the seller is in the home currently if they are going to make a cash offer with a short close. This short close might not actually be a benefit to the seller.

The idea is for a buyer to understand there is more involved to an offer than price. Although important there are a ton of other factors that go into a solid offer that you truly want to have accepted. You might have no choice but to go the route of an FHA loan, if you do make sure other parts of your contract are solid and appealing to the seller. Make your offer strong and listen to your buyer agent. If they tell you that you are being unreasonable, listen to them, it is their job to tell you things you might not like to hear. Your agents job is to get you in the house you want, if you are serious enough about making an offer that is most likely the home you want.

As usually this is not legal advice just the ramblings of a Realtor in Evergreen, CO and this does not substitute the advice of your current agent or broker or legal advice you should seek from an accountant or an attorney!

UPDATE: 

In this crazy multiple offer market it is very important that buyers choose the right lender for their home mortgage. We are seeing listing agents putting a great deal of weight on the lender letter now. Since sellers can be choosey in this market they are. Choose a local lender and give yourself a much better chance of writing a winning offer.  

Meet our team of agents and brokers

All of the real estate agents here at Orson Hill Realty are associate brokers (except the employing broker) and Realtors. We believe in the ethics that are put in place by NAR (National Association of Realtors) and then some. We not only show respect and ethical behavior to our clients but we also Orson Hill Realtydemand respect for our fellow Realtors and real estate agents we work with. Our philosophy is that it does our client a tremendous disservice to be in a battle with fellow real estate brokers. We Believe that as the “rocks” in every transaction we need to be calm and cool because emotions get out of hand very quickly in a real estate transaction and if the real estate agents or brokers don’t respect or like each other it could crater a deal that both buyers and sellers want to see happen. That is why we treat everyone in the transaction with the same respect and dignity within the scope of still fulfilling the highest result and fiduciary responsibility to our clients that we represent. You can read more about us in our Realtor blog.

Caroline Galvan Associate Broker

Caroline Galvan

Hello! My name is Caroline Galvan, and I am a Licensed Real Estate Agent in the Foothills!  Although I am very familiar with all areas of the Foothills and ‘Down the Hill’, I am originally a Southerner! I was raised in Tallahassee, FL.  However, every summer I would go to Western North Carolina to stay with my grandparents and cousins. I knew then, even as a kid, that I was a Mountain Girl at heart!

Caroline Galvan as Your Real Estate Agent

In Tallahassee, I also graduated from Florida State University with a Major in Psychology and a Minor in Chemistry. While waiting out for a Master’s Program, I found a job in Property Management and moved up quickly. Shortly after, being promoted to Traveling Property Manager. As such, I was sent all over the country to solve issues of struggling properties.

Caroline and Her Love for Colorado 

Because I am a people person, and love to match everyone I can with their perfect home, Property Management came easily to me. However, I wanted to assist people even further- not just to find their Temporary home but their Permanent and/or Forever home! After traveling all over the country, I knew the mountains of Colorado were the place for me to begin my Real Estate career. So, I did just that and have loved my job ever since!

Besides finding you your perfect home, I love to hike, decorate, travel and sing! In fact I have a local band here as well, where I write our Original Music and sing Lead! My husband is my Biggest Fan! We just celebrated out 1st Anniversary in October 2020! No kids yet, but 2 spoiled fur-babies; Our Long-Haired, Sassy, Calico (Jezebel) and our Sweet Rat Terrier (Snoopy).

30792 Southview Drive #1110 | Evergreen, CO 80439 | 303-503-8793

Caroline Galvan

Caroline Galvan

30792 Southview Drive #110
Evergreen, CO 80439  
850-459-1784
303-835-9895

Danny Skelly Managing Broker

Danny Skelly is the owner and managing broker at Orson Hill Realty. He is an Evergreen, CO Realtor that specializes in mountain properties and real estate. I have experience with things that make mountain properties unique. I also specialize in luxury homes, horse properties and farms and ranches. I am a different kind of Realtor and Broker. Give me a call so I can discuss all your real estate needs. I am a Realtor that knows mountain properties and city properties as well. If you want to make sure your transaction goes smoothly you you need a real estate agent familiar with septic, well, easements, radon, septic, city water, water districts and  everything else that comes up on a mountain or a city property. I am a Realtor that has an extensive background in in web design and marketing. I owned a marketing company in Florida that specialized in real estate marketing and branding. As a seller agent (broker that sells your home) I will make sure your property or home is seen by everyone looking in that price point and in your area. Too many real estate agents do not understand the power and the need of the internet. I do and as your Orson Hill Realtor I will use it to its full capacity to market your home. NAR (National Association of Realtors) has determined that almost 90% of home buyers find their home on the internet. It only makes sense that we use that tool as efficiently and often as possible.I promise I will call back. I have had real estate agents (back before I became a broker) that would not return my calls. That drove me crazy. I will always return your call, text or email.   I understand as your real estate agent I work for you. You are my boss. I devote as much time to the client that buys a $10,000 piece of land as the client that buys the 17 million dollar luxury mountain home.

30792 Southview Drive #1110 | Evergreen, CO 80439 | 303-503-8793

Real Estate Agents Evergreen, CO

Danny Skelly

30792 Southview Drive #110
Evergreen, CO 80439  
303-503-8793
303-835-9895

Eric Garza Luxury Team Leader

Eric Garza is the Luxury Team Leader at Orson Hill Realty. Eric has provided exceptional service with his exceptional real estate knowledge. Eric have worked in the Evergreen, Conifer, Bailey and Denver real estate markets for years. As the luxury team leader he specializes in luxury home sales. He works as a listing agent and a buyer’s agent.  Erica had years of experience in the banking industry and commercial real estate fields. He is bringing this experienced mixed with years of working with a national real estate firm known throughout the luxury industry to Orson Hill Realty in a leadership role and as an asset to work with his own clients…. 

Read More About Eric Garza 

Eric Garza - Luxury Team Leader

Eric Garza

30792 Southview Drive #110
Evergreen, CO 80439  
303-835-9895