May 27, 2020

7 Ways to Write a Winning Offer in Montgomery County

Learn how to write a winning offer in Montgomery County's competitive market with 7 proven strategies from Realtor Kevin Grolig.

You write a winning offer by doing the preparation before you ever find the house: assemble your team, get a strong mortgage pre-approval, put up a real earnest deposit, consider inspecting before you write, review the contract paperwork in advance, choose your contingencies strategically, and stay flexible on timing. In Montgomery County’s market, there’s no reward for coming in second. The seller picks one buyer, and everyone else goes back to the drawing board. Most buyers spend all their energy on the search itself, scrolling Zillow, Redfin, and Trulia, and none on what happens the moment they actually find the home. That’s backwards. The hunt is the easy part. Winning the deal is where buyers lose homes they should have gotten. Here’s how I walk my Montgomery County buyers through writing an offer that actually wins.

How do you prepare before you even start looking at homes?

You prepare by building your team before you’re under pressure to make a decision. That means locking in your realtor, your lender, your title company, your home inspector, and your termite inspector ahead of time, not scrambling to find them the night you fall in love with a house. When every piece of your team is already in place, you can move fast the moment the right property hits the market. Speed wins offers in this market, and speed only happens when you’re not making phone calls to find a lender while a listing agent is collecting other offers.

Why does a mortgage pre-approval matter so much?

A pre-approval matters because it’s the proof a seller needs that you’re a serious, qualified buyer, not just someone testing the market. Sellers aren’t just comparing price, they’re comparing risk. A buyer with a solid pre-approval letter in hand looks like a sure thing. A buyer without one looks like a gamble, no matter how good their offer number is. Get this done before you start touring homes, not after you’ve found the one you want.

How much earnest money should you put down?

Plan on putting down three to five percent of the sales price as your earnest deposit, and have those funds liquid and ready to go. This money is going toward your purchase anyway, so there’s little downside to leading with a stronger deposit. A bigger earnest deposit signals to the seller that you’re the real deal and gives them one less reason to worry about your offer falling apart. In a multiple-offer situation, that comfort matters.

Should you do the home inspection before writing the offer?

Yes, in the right situations, doing the inspection before you write the contract can make your offer far more competitive. Most buyers assume the inspection happens after they’re under contract, but flipping that order lets you walk into the deal with your eyes wide open. If the inspection comes back clean and you decide to move forward, we can write an offer without a home inspection contingency at all. A contract with no inspection contingency is one of the biggest confidence boosters you can hand a seller, and it dramatically improves your odds of winning.

Why should you review the contract before you’re ready to make an offer?

You should review the contract early because Montgomery County’s purchase paperwork runs about 50 pages of legal documents, and you don’t want to be reading it for the first time the day you’re trying to move fast on your dream home. Reviewing the contract when there’s no pressure on you means you understand every term before it matters. When you finally do find the right house, you’re not slowed down by unfamiliar language. You’re ready to sign and submit.

Which contingencies should you include in your offer?

You should only include the contingencies that genuinely matter to you, because loading up your offer with protection can cost you the house. It’s smart to be protected, but every extra contingency you add is another reason a seller might pick a cleaner offer from someone else. This is a conversation to have with your realtor well before you’re writing an offer under a deadline, so you know exactly which contingencies you’re willing to keep and which ones you’re willing to let go.

Why does flexibility on timing help you win?

Flexibility on timing helps because every seller has a different situation, and matching their needs is often what separates your offer from the next one. A vacant home usually means the seller wants a quicker settlement. A seller still living in the home may need more time to transition. Whenever you can bend on your preferred timeline, do it. Winning an offer often comes down to fitting two puzzle pieces together, not just offering the highest number.

Writing a winning offer isn’t about luck or overpaying. It’s about walking in with a plan, the same way a sports team walks into a game with a strategy, ready to adjust as things unfold. Buyers who put in the prep work before they start searching are the ones who end up with keys in hand. If you want a full breakdown of what buying a home in Montgomery County actually looks like start to finish, check out myguide to buying a home.

FAQ

Do I need a pre-approval before I start house hunting?

Yes. Sellers want to see a pre-approval with any offer, and having one ready before you start touring homes lets you move the moment you find the right property.

How much earnest money is normal in Montgomery County?

Plan on three to five percent of the sales price. It’s money you’d be putting toward the purchase regardless, and a stronger deposit helps your offer stand out.

Is it a good idea to skip the home inspection contingency?

It can be, but only if you’ve already done an inspection before writing the offer. That way you know what you’re walking into and can safely offer a cleaner, contingency-free contract.

What if I want to keep every contingency to stay protected?

That’s your call, but understand that in a competitive market, every added contingency is a reason a seller might choose a different offer. Talk through priorities with your realtor ahead of time.

How flexible should I be on settlement date?

As flexible as your situation allows. Vacant homes usually need a quicker close, while occupied homes may need more time. Matching the seller’s timeline can be the deciding factor.

If you’re getting ready to buy in Montgomery County and want a real strategy session on your offer,contact medirectly or grab a time on my calendar.

Thank you for reading Real Kevin. If this helped, follow along for more real estate strategy and life in Montgomery County.

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