Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
When you make an offer on a house, you give the real estate agent a signed offer to purchase the house for a given price under specified terms. This document is called a purchase and sale agreement. The real estate agent is required by law to deliver your offer to the seller. Your written offer to purchase a house should always include the following items - a complete legal description of the property, which includes the name of the subdivision, the block number and the lot number. This information is kept in county records and will never change. Your offer should also include the price you are offering to pay for the house, the amount of your down payment and your financing terms, including the maximum interest rate you are willing to pay, a list of any items of personal property the owner has said will remain with the house, or that you want to be included, the proposed closing and move-in date, the length of time your offer is valid - usually three to five days, and the amount of earnest money you are offering. Earnest money is the good faith money you submit with your offer to show the seller that your are serious about buying the house. There is no set amount of money required and what is customary varies by location. You make our your check to the title company or the attorney handling the sale, not the seller. Your earnest money should be deposited in escrow and returned to you if the seller does not accept your offer within a specified number of days. It should also be refunded to you if your proposed financing doesn't go through, but if the seller accepts the deal and you back out, you usually forfeit the money. When you are ready to make your offer, your real estate agent will probably give you a pre-printed purchase and sale agreement. You can make as many changes and additions to it as you like, but you and the seller must agree to and meet all of the conditions of the contract for it to actually take effect.
When you make an offer on a house, you give the real estate agent a signed offer to purchase the house for a given price under specified terms. This document is called a purchase and sale agreement. The real estate agent is required by law to deliver your offer to the seller. Your written offer to purchase a house should always include the following items - a complete legal description of the property, which includes the name of the subdivision, the block number and the lot number. This information is kept in county records and will never change. Your offer should also include the price you are offering to pay for the house, the amount of your down payment and your financing terms, including the maximum interest rate you are willing to pay, a list of any items of personal property the owner has said will remain with the house, or that you want to be included, the proposed closing and move-in date, the length of time your offer is valid - usually three to five days, and the amount of earnest money you are offering. Earnest money is the good faith money you submit with your offer to show the seller that your are serious about buying the house. There is no set amount of money required and what is customary varies by location. You make our your check to the title company or the attorney handling the sale, not the seller. Your earnest money should be deposited in escrow and returned to you if the seller does not accept your offer within a specified number of days. It should also be refunded to you if your proposed financing doesn't go through, but if the seller accepts the deal and you back out, you usually forfeit the money. When you are ready to make your offer, your real estate agent will probably give you a pre-printed purchase and sale agreement. You can make as many changes and additions to it as you like, but you and the seller must agree to and meet all of the conditions of the contract for it to actually take effect.










