Price
Before any offer, I send you a short pricing memo: the closed sales that match the home, the adjustments for what differs, the competing listings, and the range I would pay. For waterfront, that includes the type of water and the elevation. For condos, it includes sales in the same building and stack. The memo is the same analysis I use for sellers, run from the other side.
Terms
- Earnest money. Enough to show you are serious, held by a title company or attorney, with clear return conditions. Read earnest money on a Tampa Bay home.
- Inspection period. Long enough to inspect, get insurance quotes, and review condo documents, and short enough to stay competitive.
- Financing and appraisal. Whether to carry a financing contingency and how to handle an appraisal gap.
- Closing date and possession. Including a seller rent-back when it helps. Read seller rent-backs.
- Concessions. Seller credits, rate buydowns, and repairs. Read how to negotiate a Tampa Bay luxury home.
Reading the seller
Days on market, price history, whether the home is vacant, and what the listing agent says about timing all shape the terms. I call the listing agent before we write, so the offer answers the questions the seller is asking. Read how sellers weigh cash vs. financed offers and backup offers and kick-out clauses.
The contract
Most Tampa Bay offers are written on the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar contract, usually the AS IS version, with riders for condos, financing, and other terms. Builders use their own contracts. I walk you through every section before you sign.
Next stage: inspections and due diligence. Back to how I represent buyers.
Frequently asked questions
What does AS IS mean in a Florida contract?
The AS IS contract gives the buyer an inspection period with the right to cancel for any reason and get the deposit back, but it does not obligate the seller to make repairs. Repairs become a negotiation during the inspection period.
Should I waive the inspection to win a home?
Rarely, and not on a Florida home without knowing the roof, systems, and flood picture. There are ways to shorten the period or limit repair requests instead. Read should you waive the inspection.
How much earnest money is normal in Tampa Bay?
It varies with price and competition. The deposit is held in escrow and returned if you cancel within the inspection period under the AS IS contract. We set the amount to fit the home and the seller.