Putting in an offer

[Mary Schlabach]

We are rookie investors looking to buy a lake house. We suspect there will be a bidding war. 

What can we do/offer to make our offer more enticing so that they would accept our offer over others that might have offered more?

[Joe Villeneuve]

Quote from @Mary Schlabach:

We are rookie investors looking to buy a lake house. We suspect there will be a bidding war. 

What can we do/offer to make our offer more enticing so that they would accept our offer over others that might have offered more?

Rookie mistake.  You don't want to buy a property...you want a deal.  Big difference.  That means you don't make a bid based on what beating out any other investors.  You make offers based on your needs that makes it a deal for you...period,...end of story.  Let the other investors battle over a "property".
Sometimes the best deals you make, are the ones you walk away from.