Home purchase negotiation prep

Work through the list in order. Hide the notes when you know what to do.

1. Confirm financing before you start negotiating

   Mortgage pre-approval or a confirmed cash amount — without it, an offer isn't taken seriously.

2. Research comparable sales in the area

   Actual closed-sale prices, not listing prices, are the strongest leverage in a negotiation.

3. Check how long the property has been listed

   A long time on market usually means more room to negotiate than a fresh, high-demand listing.

4. Find out the seller's reason for selling, if you can

   An urgent move or an already-purchased new place is a strong reason a seller might budge on price or timeline.

5. Set your own price ceiling and don't reveal it

   Decide in advance the number at which you walk away — emotions in the moment tend to push people over budget.

6. Include an inspection contingency in the offer

   The right to walk away or renegotiate based on an independent inspection — separate from the checklist itself, but needs to be written into the offer before signing.

7. Clarify the deposit or earnest money terms

   Amount, where it's held, and under what conditions it's refundable — learn this before sending money, not after backing out.

8. Agree on the closing timeline and move-out date

   A mismatch in dates between the parties is a common reason an almost-done deal falls apart.

9. Write down what stays with the property

   Built-in appliances, closets, light fixtures — a verbal agreement from the viewing is easy to forget by signing day.

10. Put every offer and counteroffer in writing

    A verbal agreement over the phone carries no weight when it's time to sign paperwork.

11. Set a response deadline on your offer

    Otherwise a seller can hold your offer as a backup while shopping for a better one.

12. Understand whose interests each agent represents

    The seller's agent doesn't work for you — factor that into what you share and how you negotiate.

13. Request the property's document set in advance

    Title, liens and any outstanding debts — so the legal check doesn't stall a deal you've already agreed to.

14. Line up a lawyer or notary to handle the paperwork

    Searching for one at the last minute means settling for whoever's free, not whoever's vetted.

15. Plan your counteroffer steps in advance

    How much you're willing to move and what you'd trade for it (timeline, condition, included furniture) — decided calmly, not under pressure mid-negotiation.

16. Decide the signal that means walking away

    A concrete condition, not a vague feeling — makes it easier to resist getting caught up in the back-and-forth.

17. Keep all deal correspondence in one place

    Emails and messages with dates of offers and responses — useful if the terms later drift from what was said verbally.

18. Schedule a final walkthrough before signing

    Confirm the property's condition hasn't changed and everything agreed is still there — a day or two before closing, not earlier.