Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

Just curious. How long have you waited before submitting an offer AND what held you up?

TIA

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

we put offers in as soon as possible...I had my parents come and see the houses first to get their opinions...but that was usually that night, or the next day!

Good luck

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

We put in offers on four houses either on the spot or within an hour or so of leaving.

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

Personally, when dh and I put an offer in on our house, we did it a week after the first showing. We were living in the city, and were house hunting on weekends. So we saw the house, and then the following weekend, we went back for a second look. Right after the second showing, we wrote up an offer with our agent and had her submit it.

Professionally, I am finding it's not uncommon for my buyers to wait a few days or even a week or so before submitting an offer. The last two offers I've submitted on behalf of customers followed the same pattern: Showing, re-showing (one did the second showing the same day and brought back family members, and the other did a second showing about a week later and brought back family members), and then the offer came about a week after the second showing in both cases. Also, as a listing agent, I am finding that I get offers from agents who showed the property about a week earlier.

As far as what stopped people from making an offer immediately after the second showing... I just think they needed time to think. In this market, there is a LOT of inventory, and I think buyers need to get past thinking they are passing up something better by making an offer on a home the like. Also, I know one of my recent buyers was expecting to buy a much larger place, but really had to come to terms with making some tradeoffs on space to get a better location in her price range. Sometimes it just takes awhile for reality to sink in and for buyers to get to a comfort level.

Also, I was working an open house last weekend at a house that's been on the market for a few months. Buyers came through that had been to an open house months ago. They started working with another agent in my office, put an offer in on a different house, wound up losing that house, and now are VERY interested in the original house again.

So I wouldn't count a buyer out for not making an immediate or fast offer. In fact, it is good practice for a listing agent to -- from time to time -- call back people who previously attended open houses or touch base with agents who've shown a house in the past to see if there is a way to get someone who may be on the fence or who may have had strong interest to make an offer.

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

We're closing on our purchase tomorrow. I think we first saw this house back in the beginning of April, maybe earlier...

We went back to the house at least 3 times. We fell in love, but it was listed way higher than we were looking to go (it was overpriced). We made one lowball offer maybe 3 weeks later, but were FAR apart in negotiations. Stayed away for a few more weeks while we listed our house for sale. In that time, they dropped their listing price. When we had an accepted offer on our place, we went back with our final offer (late May) which they accepted.

On our sale, the buyers made an offer the same day they saw the house.

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

First house, offer was made immediately on the spot.

Current house, went back for a second look (two days in a row) and made the offer a day later.

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

The first few houses we put offers in, we waited for a 2nd showing a few days/week later.

When it came to our house (and after looking for a longggg time and losing a few houses in biding wars etc) we put the offer in within the hour of seeing it. At that point, we knew what we wanted and what we would sacrifice for location etc.

Re: Whats the longest you waited to put an offer on a house after seeing it?

The first few houses we put offers on we waited a few days in between the initial showing and when we put in the offer.

The 4th house we fell in love with when we walked in the door and we were afraid to loose it, so we put in the offer on the spot. We lost it anyway

This house we also put in an offer on the spot at the initial showing and we got it! But at that point we had lost 4 houses and this house had JUST listed 2 days earlier and we knew we had to jump on it before anyone else did.

I prefer not to wait long after seeing a house to make an offer IF you know it's what you really want. If you have questions or you're uncertain, then sleep on it. But if you know right away that it's what you want, I dont like to risk losing it by waiting.