Why offer strategy has changed
In 2021 and 2022, writing a competitive offer in Utah often meant waiving everything, going well above list price, and hoping for the best. The market was so lopsided in sellers' favor that buyers had almost no leverage. A lot of buyers made decisions they later regretted -- waived inspections they should have kept, paid prices they could not really justify -- because the fear of losing out felt more urgent than the risk of overpaying.
The 2026 market is more balanced. That is good news for buyers, but it also means offer strategy needs to be more thoughtful rather than simply more aggressive. Sellers still want to feel like they are getting a strong offer. Buyers still need to be competitive on the homes they genuinely want. The difference now is that buyers have more room to protect themselves while still winning.
Start with the right price
Pricing your offer correctly is still the most important variable. Overpaying by $30,000 on a home because you were afraid of losing it is a far more costly mistake than missing one home and finding another.
Before you write an offer, you need to understand what comparable homes have actually sold for in the past 60 to 90 days in that specific area. Not list prices, and not what sellers are asking -- what buyers actually paid at closing. That data tells you where market value sits, and it tells you how much room, if any, there is between list price and what the market will support.
In segments of Utah's market where there is genuine competition -- well-priced homes in desirable areas at accessible price points -- you may need to offer at or slightly above list to be taken seriously. In segments where inventory has accumulated and days on market are longer, you may have room to offer below list and negotiate. Understanding which situation you are in before you write is the difference between an informed offer and a guess.
Use terms strategically
Price is one lever. Terms are the other, and they are underused by buyers who focus only on the number.
Closing timeline is one of the most valuable terms you can offer. Most sellers have a specific timeline in mind, whether it is closing quickly so they can move to their next home or staying in the property for a period after closing to coordinate their own purchase. Understanding what the seller actually needs and structuring your offer to accommodate it is worth more than $5,000 in price in many situations. I make it a standard practice to find out what timeline the sellers are working with before we finalize offer terms.
Earnest money amount signals commitment. A larger deposit tells the seller you are serious and financially capable. On a $600,000 purchase in a competitive situation, offering $20,000 in earnest money instead of the standard $6,000 is a statement of conviction that costs you nothing if the deal closes and protects the seller's confidence that you will perform.
Inspection approach matters without requiring you to fully waive it. Rather than removing your inspection contingency entirely, you can conduct an inspection for informational purposes with a defined threshold -- committing not to ask for repairs or credits unless a specific item exceeds a dollar amount you choose. That gives the seller near-certainty on inspection outcomes without leaving you completely exposed to a major undisclosed problem.
Appraisal gap coverage is relevant when you are offering above what you expect the home to appraise for. A gap clause committing to cover a defined dollar amount above appraisal tells the seller the deal will not fall apart if the appraisal comes in slightly short. You control the amount and the cap.
Know what you are willing to walk away from
A competitive offer is not the same as a desperate one. Part of writing a strong offer is knowing your boundaries before you are in the emotional heat of a multiple-offer situation.
What is the most you are genuinely willing to pay? What contingencies are you comfortable removing versus which ones are non-negotiable for your financial protection? If you go over that number or remove those protections to win, you have made the decision under pressure rather than with clear thinking. That rarely leads to outcomes buyers are happy with.
The right preparation is to have that conversation with yourself, and with your agent, before you find a home you love rather than after.
How I help buyers put offers together
When I work with buyers on offer strategy, I pull the comparable sales data before we write anything, talk through what I know or can find out about the seller's situation and timeline, and help structure the offer terms to be genuinely competitive rather than generically aggressive. Every offer situation is different, and the strategy that wins a home in Draper against two other offers looks different from the strategy that works on a home that has been sitting in Murray for 45 days.
If you are getting ready to make an offer and want to think through the strategy beforehand, reach out and we can work through it together. The buyer's guide also covers the full offer and contract process from start to close, and the home search tool is a good place to stay current on what is active in the areas you are considering.
