The Price Isn't Always Right. "The higher the price, the better the offer." Don't let yourself be fooled by this popular misconception. Price isn't always the determining factor in choosing among multiple offers, for several important reasons: the initial offer is never final, and there are a number of terms and conditions that may influence the final outcome of a price. You can trust your Acme Homes listing agents to help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position.

Negotiating The Right Way. I take the ethical responsibility of fairly negotiating contractual terms very seriously. It's my job to find a win-win agreement that's beneficial to all parties involved. Oftentimes you will have to deal with multiple offers before ratifying the one you judge to be the most suitable for you - and as your agents we'll guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of these offers to help you make the right choice.

Escrow: The Initial Agreement and Deposit. An escrow is a legal arrangement whereby an asset (such as a home buyer's initial deposit) is delivered to a third party (an escrow holder) to be held in trust pending the fulfillment of conditions or contingencies in a contract. Once an offer is ratified, the home seller and buyer will agree upon the amount for the good faith deposit and set up an escrow account. This reflects the buyer's intention to purchase your property and ensures that no funds or property will change hands until all instructions in the transaction are followed.

Some Important Tips. Keep these tips in mind to streamline the process even further:

• Keep written records of everything. For the sake of clarity, it will be extremely useful to transcribe all verbal agreements of everything from counter-offers and addendums, and convert them to written agreements to be signed by both parties. I will assist you in drafting addendums in your contract to ensure you've got all the bases covered.
• Stick to the schedule. Now that you've chosen your offer, you and the buyer will be given a timetable to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting the requirements on time ensures a smoother flow of negotiations. During the process I'll keep you constantly updated so you'll always be prepared for the next step.