How to Actually Win a Home in a Competitive Market

I'm Holli Cobb, a REALTOR® with REAL Broker in Redmond, and this surprises a lot of buyers: sellers don't always take the highest offer. They weigh financing strength, how clean the terms are, and how confident they can be the deal actually closes, alongside price. A slightly lower offer with strong financing and few contingencies can genuinely beat a higher one that looks shaky.

A strong, realistic price backed by real comps, clean terms with fewer contingencies, moving quickly and decisively once you find the right home, and knowing your real walk-away number before you're in the moment, all matter more than trying to guess a magic percentage over asking. There isn't one, it depends on how the specific home is priced and how much real competition there is.

Earnest money in Oregon typically runs around 1% of the purchase price, held by a title or escrow company, not by me or the seller. A solid earnest money deposit signals you're serious, which matters to a seller weighing multiple offers.

Losing a home you wanted is genuinely frustrating, and it's worth understanding why before you write your next offer: was it price, terms, or timing? That's useful information, not just something to shake off. Stick to the limit you set for yourself rather than chasing the next home past your real number out of frustration.

The best time to think through your offer strategy is before you're competing for a specific house, not during. Get in touch and we'll get you ready to move when the right home shows up, per how I help you buy a home.