You found it. The perfect house. Now the battle to get it begins. Whether you are the only person who is putting in an offer or one of a few or many, there are a few tricks that can help make sure you get your new home.

First, your best bet is to offer just over asking price

Assuming that your Realtor isn’t showing you fixer uppers, offering just over asking price is the perfect way to show that you are serious. Even just $100 can make all the difference. If you combine that with being in great financial shape and being pre-approved for your mortgage, your offer will shine.

Write to the seller

Think about sending the seller a letter explaining why you want and need their home. Talk about what you love about it. Talk about how it will enhance your life and the lives of your spouse/children, etc. Whatever your situation may be, telling the seller that you love their home and want to make it yours can sway them to your offer. Now be aware that not every agent will give the seller the letter, but if they do it can make a huge difference.

Keep in mind that sellers usually plan on taking their items with them

Unless it’s a fixture, basically something attached to the house that isn’t easily removed, or something that is usual that is left in the home, such as a washer or dryer, don’t weird out the seller and ask for their personal items.

Be flexible

Lastly, be as flexible as you can be with settlement and move in. If you can close quickly, do it. If the seller needs more time, do it. If you need to rent back to them, do it. Add an escalation clause to your offer. An escalation clause in a real estate contract allows you, the buyer, to tell the seller “I will pay x price for this home, but if the seller receives another offer that’s higher than mine, I’m willing to increase my offer to y price.” Of course, only do an escalation clause if you can afford the price to increase!