I would first have your agent talk to the listing agent and see if she is willing to present a back up offer. According to the listing agreement once you have an acceptable agreement of sale the listing agent is not REQUIRED to present further offers. So if he/she is not willing to present it, it may be a waste of your time writing it up. As long as she knows your there willing to if things do fall through with first offer may just have to be enough. Let your agent talk to listing agent and advise you whats best. Best of luck. Debbie

Thu May 15 2008, 12:20

Jeremy,

Somehow houses are more attractive once they've gone under agreement - kind of like the paintings at the art sale with the red dot. Someone else buying helps to validate your reason for wanting to buy - happens rather frequently with houses too.

Listing agents will sometimes take "back up" offers if there are doubts about the offer that was accepted. This would enable you to be in a better position to be the next offer accepted/negotiated should the current offer fall apart. This sounds good, but what it also does is to give the seller extra leverage when dealing with the first offer should there be unreasonable requests from a buyer. This may wind up helping to keep the first offer together if the buyer knows there is someone else ready to step in.

Your agent should be able to advise you on whether this makes sense given your situation. Their close communication with the listing agent could alert you to an opportunity to put an offer together.

Good Luck!

Thu May 15 2008, 05:13

If you truly love the house, and you're willing to be a "back up" offer, then sure. Strange things happen, and contracts fall apart sometimes. It'd be good to be their safety net, to catch the deal if it should fall.

Just don't get your hopes up, because most of the time, deals go all the way through.

Thu May 15 2008, 05:13