Here’s an article, from the Wall Street Journal, that gives buyers some suggestions to help you in submitting a successful offer.  Take a look.

http://www.tiny9.com/u/Wall_Street_Journal_article

I especially agree with #3, about getting your agent to give you a comparative market analysis (CMA). I ran a quick CMA for the city of Elk Grove. The search criteria included: 3 beds, 2 bath, sold between April 1 and May 10, 2010.  There were 79 homes sold during this time.  Some of the statistics are amazing.  Days on the market ranged from 1 to 335. The percentage of sales price to list price ranged from 77.75% to 111.76%, with an average of 100.32%.  The average square foot price was $129.23. 

To ensure that you aren’t paying too much, a CMA of similar homes in the area is a good baseline.  From there you can consider location, condition, and other important criteria. 

I know I’m biased, being a Realtor and all, but it’s in your best interest as a buyer to have good representation.  Work with a Realtor and listen to their advise.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home. 

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our own efforts as REALTORS, as well as input from other REALTORS in our Coldwell Banker office.  I hope it has been of value to you.  Don’t hesitate to email us with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow home owners!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook at  www.Facebook.com/ElkGroveRealEstate.  For information about properties available for sale and for more information for buyers and sellers, please visit our website at www.ElkGroveRealEstate.com and don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email with your questions.

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