Arguably one of the most exciting parts of the "purchasing a home" process is making your first offer on a property! 

I've heard plenty of stories (especially in the last few years in a busy market) of people making multiple offers which fall through (due to a range of factors) and we're always keen to break down some of those barriers and help make this process easy.

Our top tips are as follows;

1. Get pre-approved - this is the first step and you can find out a little more about this on our blog here. Essentially this is a formal commitment from a bank to lend you funds and it helps us set your budget so you can be super clear when you're out and about looking for properties. Any conditions we need to meet we'll also look to cover off at this stage.
2. Get your Team together - this includes lawyers, valuers, building inspectors and possibly even an accountant in some cases. It's really important to touch base with a lawyer as soon as you're ready to look at properties, as they will also be able to give some advice around appropriate time frames and help get the process of your Kiwisaver and First Home Grant underway too so the ball is already rolling!
3. Partner with an awesome Real Estate Agent - they're the first ones to hear about listings which are coming on stream and will help you view properties that fit within your budget and suit what's most important to you. They'll help you draft an offer when you find a property you like, and will also be your advocate in negotiating a potential offer.
4. Check your deposit amount and have it ready - you can find out more about this here, but essentially this deposit is what you'll need to pay on unconditional day - and having either cash, Kiwisaver or some temporary funds available on this date is key. Talk to us if you're not sure where your deposit is coming from and we can help make sure this is lined up.
5. Tick off conditions early - prior to making your written offer you can actually have a building report completed or search some of the information about the property online or at the local council. This can help reduce the number of conditions when you actually make your offer. It's really important to get the right advice from your solicitor when doing this so you're clear about what needs to be included. We can also help here by arranging for the bank to approve the draft Sale & Purchase Agreement too - so you're ready to go! 
6. Stay away from round numbers - this is a little trick that can give you the smallest edge over your competition - if the asking price is $549K try an offer of $547K or $553K rather than the round number of $550K. It can set you apart from any other offers and  in many cases can ensure success!

The key in making offers, especially in a busy market, is to make your offer attractive to a vendor. Not only with the price but in the speed of the transaction, the ease of the sale from their perspective and the time to settlement. Every vendor will be different so it's always worth speaking to the listing agent to gauge what's motivating their vendor.

We're here to make this exciting part of the process just that little bit easier and are always around to answer any specific questions.

Now the time has come - check out those listings, gather your Team together and go forth and make an offer on your new home!