5 Ways to Recognize A Qualified Buyer

Offers can be exciting, but unless your potential buyer has the resources to qualify for a mortgage, you may not really have a sale. When working with a qualified Real Estate Agent they will try to determine a buyer’s financial status before you sign the contract. But it’s good for you to know what buyers with follow-through potential looks like. RELATED: How To Interview a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home

So here are five key areas to focus on when qualifying a potential buyer: 1. They are pre-qualified—or even better, pre-approved—for a mortgage. Such buyers will be in a much better position to obtain a mortgage promptly. 2. They have enough money to make a down payment and cover closing costs. Ideally, buyers should have 20 percent of the home’s price as a down payment and between 2 percent and 7 percent of the price to cover closing costs. If they plan to make a smaller down payment, they will need to purchase mortgage insurance, through either a government guarantee program or a private mortgage insurer.

RELATED: Is It Possible to Buy A Home Without A 20% Downpayment?

Their ability to provide earnest money in a timely fashion will be an indicator of liquid reserves.

RELATED: What's My Home Worth? 3. Their income is sufficient to afford the home over the long term, too. Ideally, buyers should spend no more than 28 percent of their total income to cover the principal, interest, taxes, and insurance associated with the sale (often abbreviated as “PITI.”) 4. They have good credit, which they are monitoring and maintaining. They will have recently reviewed their credit report and have actively worked to correct any blemishes or errors found. 5. They’re not managing too many other debts to take on a mortgage. If buyers owe a great deal on car payments, credit cards, and other debts, they may not qualify for a mortgage. YOUR TURN Have you sold your home recently using any of these techniques to qualify your buyer? Do you have anything to add to our list? We want to here from you! Sound of on our Facebook Page, Twitter or Instagram feeds or connect with us on LinkedIn. And don’t forget to subscribe to our monthly HOME ADVICEtm email newsletter for great tips for homeowners and sellers delivered straight to your inbox. You may unsubscribe at any time.