My Realtor Included my Pre-Approval Amount With my Offer

My Realtor Included my Pre-Approval Amount With my Offer

Alecia LovelessPro Member
Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes

I’m making an offer on a MF and my realtor included my pre-approval amount with my offer. I offered $25,000 less than the asking price as there’s no comps anywhere near the asking price. Granted this building is much nicer than anything else on the market, but my offer is also $30-40000 more than the other existing comps.

The owner only countered $5000 lower than the asking price. I think he’s just expecting me to pay the full amount I’m approved for since he knows it. The numbers still work at the higher price but my cash flow drops from a very good deal to just a good deal.

I’ve worked with this realtor for 20 years and he knows what I look for in a property but this is the first time I’ve attempted to get a mortgage. I’ve always done cash deals but since money is so cheap now I figure I can do more deals this way.

I told the realtor I would revisit an offer after the New Year.

Any advice for if I should just walk away from the MF or recounter and what I should do about the pre-approval letter next time, because clearly it should have just said the amount I was offering or something should have been handled differently, would be greatly appreciated.

And the 4-plex really would be worth the original asking price and probably more if it was one town over, location, location. Right?

Thanks for any advice anyone with more experience can give me.

Alecia

1Reply
92 views

Most Popular Reply

Russell BrazilBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
5y

No ones looking at your preapproval when they are negotoating.  If the listing agent is doing their job they are calling your lender to verify you can afford the property comfortably. If the lender tells them you are at your limit, then they will believe theres a high probability the transaction will fall apart due to your financial position.  

See this reply in the discussion

14 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Russell BrazilBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes
    5y

    No ones looking at your preapproval when they are negotoating.  If the listing agent is doing their job they are calling your lender to verify you can afford the property comfortably. If the lender tells them you are at your limit, then they will believe theres a high probability the transaction will fall apart due to your financial position.  

  • China, ME · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    5y

    @Alecia Loveless  When I was selling real estate, I'd always submit my buyer's pre approval with the offer.  The question is whether you ask your lender to write the pre approval for the offer price or for the limit of borrowing, which it sounds like what your lender did.

    The seller's agent should always call the lender and ask how strong the buyer is.  If they're really stretching to get to this offer price, @Russell Brazil is exactly right.   It's a weak offer and has a higher risk of blowing up.

    My recommendation is to get a new pre approval for each offer and make the amount match the offer price. 

    The seller now knows that you can pay more and seems to want to take advantage of that.  Don't be afraid to walk away. 

    His counter offer is now the active offer.  It negates yours, so if you want the property, you need to respond to it.  However, you can (and maybe should) respond to his counter with your previous offer amount.

    Good luck!

  • Real Estate Broker · Portland, OR · Member since 2019 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    "Any advice for if I should just walk away from the MF or recounter and what I should do about the pre-approval letter next time"

    1) Does it still work at that price for you?  Or counter back if you want to stay at your old price.

    2) Next time, when you offer, tell your mortgage broker to draft a pre-approval letter for THAT amount only (as long as it is less than what you actually got approved for).

    Sellers/brokers going to want to see some kind of wherewithal to close the deal to decide on your offer - I would.

  • Deland, FL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Alecia Loveless:

    I’m making an offer on a MF and my realtor included my pre-approval amount with my offer. I offered $25,000 less than the asking price as there’s no comps anywhere near the asking price. Granted this building is much nicer than anything else on the market, but my offer is also $30-40000 more than the other existing comps.

    The owner only countered $5000 lower than the asking price. I think he’s just expecting me to pay the full amount I’m approved for since he knows it. The numbers still work at the higher price but my cash flow drops from a very good deal to just a good deal.

    I’ve worked with this realtor for 20 years and he knows what I look for in a property but this is the first time I’ve attempted to get a mortgage. I’ve always done cash deals but since money is so cheap now I figure I can do more deals this way.

    I told the realtor I would revisit an offer after the New Year.

    Any advice for if I should just walk away from the MF or recounter and what I should do about the pre-approval letter next time, because clearly it should have just said the amount I was offering or something should have been handled differently, would be greatly appreciated.

    And the 4-plex really would be worth the original asking price and probably more if it was one town over, location, location. Right?

    Thanks for any advice anyone with more experience can give me.

    Alecia


    if None of that happened with your agent revealing with your approval for would you pay that much for the place if so just get it and forget about your hurt feelings 

  • Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    5y

    @Alecia Loveless Your concerns are all about nothing. A seller is more confident in you of your preapproval/POF is $100k above contract. The whole notion of "showing a preapproval for Exactly the offer amount and not higher, because Now they will ask more"....is just our amateur garbage.

  • Alecia LovelessPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Russell Brazil Thank you, this is the type of information I need to know.

  • Alecia LovelessPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Charlie MacPherson Thank you Charlie! This is good advice to hear and was along the lines of what I was thinking. I do have plenty of cash should I want to go higher than the approved amount, but am taking the time to really consider the deal.

  • Alecia LovelessPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Steve Morris Thanks Steve! Good to know!

  • Alecia LovelessPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Michael Plante No, I wouldn’t go that high on the property as I’ll never be able to sell it that high unless there’s never another market correction which we know always does happen.

    But in hind sight, you’re right I do believe I was letting myself get emotionally involved with the realtor as opposed to the property. Thanks for the insight!

    Alecia

  • Real Estate Agent · Southington, CT · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    As other agents on this post have mentioned, as a listing agent I actually want to see you are more than qualified to buy the home. I am not sure where this myth started of only submitting pre quals that outline just up to the price you are offering, but it is pretty widespread and completely off base in my opinion. It does not help you as a buyer in terms of negotiating. 

  • Alecia LovelessPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Wayne Brooks Thank you Wayne, you are absolutely right, and this advice from someone with more experience was just what I was looking for!! I will move forward now that I have realized where I was getting caught up, with the realtors actions, not the real estate, and make my decision next week. Thank you again!

  • Deland, FL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Alecia Loveless:

    @Michael Plante No, I wouldn’t go that high on the property as I’ll never be able to sell it that high unless there’s never another market correction which we know always does happen.

    But in hind sight, you’re right I do believe I was letting myself get emotionally involved with the realtor as opposed to the property. Thanks for the insight!

    Alecia

     Then I too would be upset at your agent

    As a seller I would counter higher knowing you were approved for higher 

    But what do I know lol
    Licensed in NY, NC and FL investing for over 35 years it was wrong of them IMO

  • Realtor · Lakeland, FL · Member since 2020 · 73 posts · 72 votes
    5y

    @Alecia Loveless I don’t put much weight on sales comps when looking at MF. 2 exact buildings can be side by side and be worth two totally different prices based on the income it produces. I focus more on the cash flow analysis. If the numbers look good, I base my offer on that. You mentioned that your original offer would provide you with a really good deal which is ideal of course, but I know for me in my market, a really good deal is near impossible to find right now - the market is super hot for the size MF I invest in. If at the counter price, the numbers still make sense and you’re still getting a “good deal” as you say, then I’d go for it! Feel free to message me if I can be of any more help.

  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    5y

    I always present the highest pre-approval amount for my clients, with their permission. When you present a pre-approval with just the amount of the offer, they don't know you have more money, unless you also provide a proof of funds. Our point-of-view on it is that we can afford more and don't need this property, don't you want to sell to someone who can afford this and more than to someone who can only afford this amount? Too many people get into the semantics of redoing their pre-approval for every offer, but why? You aren't giving anything away. Don't you want the seller to know you can get another property or two? We present the highest pre-approval and a proof of funds so they know how our investors are using their money and if they have cash on hand and are using a mortgage as a smart money move. Sellers would much rather sell to someone at 400k who is pre-approved for 600k with 250k in the bank as backup than someone who only shows 400k pre-approval and no funds.

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.