How to Write an Offer on a House in Florida: Detailed Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

Before you even look at homes, talk to a lender or mortgage broker and get pre-approved for a loan. This involves submitting a full loan application with your income, assets and credit history. A preapproval letter tells you exactly how much you can afford and shows sellers you’re serious. As one finance guide notes, “For most buyers, getting preapproved for a mortgage is vital… It also shows sellers that you’re serious about buying a home”​bankrate.com. With a preapproval in hand, you’ll have confidence in your budget and can act fast when you find the right SWFL property. (Tip: prequalification or a soft credit check is not enough – insist on full preapproval, which involves a hard credit check and document verification​bankrate.com.)

Step-by-step, getting preapproved means providing pay stubs, bank statements and tax returns to your lender. They will evaluate your debt-to-income ratio and credit score, then issue a conditional commitment. If all goes well, you’ll get a preapproval letter stating the loan amount. Armed with that, you can write offers immediately instead of wasting time on homes you can’t afford. And since Southwest Florida’s market often has multiple buyers, a preapproval can set your offer apart in a competitive bidding situation​bankrate.com.

Step 2: Find a Home (and Work with an Agent)

Search for properties online (Realtor.com, Zillow, etc.), but partner with a local realtor who knows the SWFL market. A buyer’s agent gives you access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) – the comprehensive database of homes for sale. As the National Association of Realtors explains, MLS tools let buyers see all listed homes while working with just one broker ​nar.realtor. Your agent can set up tailored searches, arrange showings, and alert you as soon as new homes hit the market. They’ll also analyze comparable sales so you can decide on a smart offer price.

In Florida especially, a good agent is invaluable for navigating local issues (like flood zones, condo rules, or deed restrictions) and guiding you through required disclosures. Tell your agent exactly what you want – number of bedrooms, desired location, price range – and they can proactively find matches. They will tour homes with you and answer questions, so you don’t overlook any problems. By the time you’re ready to buy, your agent will have already helped identify the most promising properties and market value.

Step 3: Prepare Your Offer – Key Contract Terms

Once you’ve found the right house, it’s time to write up the purchase offer. Florida uses standardized forms (FAR/BAR contracts), so your agent will help fill in the details. A complete offer will include all of these parts:

• Offer Price. Propose a fair but competitive price based on the market. In SWFL’s strong market, avoid a lowballbid that a seller will reject outright. Your agent will advise you on recent sales of similar homes (comps) to justify your number. Remember: in a bidding war you might include an escalation clause (see below) rather than undercutting the market.

• Earnest Money Deposit. Include an earnest money (good-faith) deposit with your offer. This is typically 1–3% of the purchase price (for example, $5,000–$10,000 on a $300,000 home). The deposit shows the seller you’re serious and is held by a neutral escrow agent. According to the Realtors’ consumer guide, an earnest money deposit “shows [your] interest is legitimate and [that you] intend to close on a home”​nar.realtor. The money sits in escrow until closing, then is applied toward your down payment and closing costs​ nar.realtor. (If the deal falls through due to an unfulfilled contingency, you get the deposit back. But if you back out without a valid contingency, the seller may keep it​ nar.realtor​zillow.com.)

• Closing Date. Specify a desired closing date – the day you’ll take possession. This is often 30–60 days after the offer is accepted, but can be negotiated. Consider the seller’s needs: a quick close might impress a seller who needs to move fast, while a later date might appeal if they want more time. Make sure the date gives you enough time to complete inspections, appraisal, and secure financing.

• Inspection Period. In Florida, most contracts automatically grant a set inspection period (commonly 5–10 days) during which the buyer can have the home professionally inspected. For example, Zillow advises that an inspection contingency typically “allows 5–10 days to conduct the inspection and request any repairs in writing”​ zillow.com. During this time, you can uncover problems (roof leaks, AC issues, etc.) and ask the seller to fix them. Crucially, with an inspection contingency in place you can cancel the deal if major defects are found – and walk away with your deposit intact​ zillow.com. This contingency protects you: without it, any big problem would force you to either accept the home as-is or forfeit your earnest money.  Tip: Always include the inspection contingency and complete your inspections promptly, then submit any repair requests or negotiate credits before the deadline.

• Contingencies. These are clauses that must be satisfied (or waived) for the sale to proceed. Common contingencies include:

  • Financing Contingency: Ensures you can cancel if your mortgage falls through. If the buyer cannot secure loan approval by the contract deadline, this clause allows them to exit the deal without penalty. (Some aggressive buyers waive this in cash offers, but it’s risky.)

  • Appraisal Contingency: Protects you if the bank’s appraisal is low. An appraisal contingency lets you renegotiate or cancel if the home appraises for less than the agreed price​ zillow.com. Zillow explains that this clause “allows the buyer to walk away from the deal or renegotiate if the appraisal on a home comes back below the agreed-upon purchase price”​zillow.com. Since lenders won’t finance more than the appraised value, this contingency keeps you from overpaying or having to cover the difference out of pocket.

  • Inspection Contingency: As noted above, this covers the home inspection and any follow-up. It’s a critical contingency for first-time and experienced buyers alike. (Also consider specialized inspections if needed – e.g. for mold, termites or wind mitigation in SWFL.)

  Investing in these contingencies is usually wise. As Investopedia notes, contingency clauses are common in real estate for exactly these reasons – financing, inspection, and appraisal are routinely written into offers to protect the buyer​ investopedia.com.

• Personal Property Requests. You can specify any personal items you want included in the sale (beyond the fixtures and appliances already covered in the contract). Florida’s standard contract even lists many appliances and fixtures that stay with the home by default (ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, ceiling fans, blinds, garage remotes, etc.​floridarealtors.org). If you want something extra – for example, a TV, washer/dryer, or furniture – you must list it in the offer. Be reasonable: asking for every piece of furniture might sour the seller. A common request is to include appliances or window treatments. Clearly listing these “personal property” items in writing avoids later disputes.

Step 4: Offer Strategies

When multiple offers are expected (common in many SWFL markets), consider these tactics to make your offer stronger:

• Escalation Clause. This lets your offer automatically “outbid” any higher offers up to a limit. For example, you might offer $400,000 with a clause that increases your bid by $3,000 over any competing offer, up to a cap of $430,000. Investopedia gives this example: “If a buyer makes an offer of $400,000, an escalator clause could specify that if a higher offer comes in, the buyer will beat it by $3,000, but only up to $427,000.”​investopedia.com. In practice, if another buyer bids $410k, your offer would jump to $413k under the clause. If a bid exceeds your cap, your escalation is not triggered. This strategy signals to the seller that you’re willing to pay more than others, without overshooting needlessly. Be careful: escalation clauses can complicate negotiations and must be drafted precisely.

• Waiving Contingencies (with Caution). Some buyers offer to waive contingencies (like inspection or appraisal) to make their offer more attractive to sellers. This is risky – essentially, you’re accepting the property as is with less protection. For example, Zillow warns that waiving the inspection contingency removes your ability to back out for free. Without that contingency, “any issues uncovered during an optional home inspection would not be a contractual reason to walk away… without forfeiting your earnest money”​zillow.com. Similarly, dropping an appraisal or financing contingency means you must cover any gap or have cash ready. Only waive contingencies if you’re highly confident (or have built in extra margin). Otherwise, it’s safer to keep them in place for protection.

• Seller Concessions and Closing Flexibility. To stand out, you can offer perks to the seller. For instance, you might offer to pay a portion of the seller’s closing costs or title fees. (Sellers often appreciate saving on these costs.) You can also be flexible on the closing date – maybe the seller needs a quick move-out, or conversely needs extra time – and tailor your offer accordingly. Even something like offering a rent-back (letting the seller stay a week after closing) can sweeten the deal. These extras don’t cost you much but can tip the scales if the seller has multiple similar offers.

Florida-Specific Contracts: Standard vs. “As Is”

In Florida, the most common purchase contracts are the FAR/BAR residential contract forms. These include a Standard Contract and an “AS IS” Contract.

• Standard Contract (FAR-BAR Form 2C or 2A). This is the default form. It requires the seller to disclose known defects (seller’s disclosure) and to allow the buyer inspections. If problems are found, the buyer can negotiate repairs or credits. The seller is only responsible for agreed-upon repairs.

• “As Is” Contract (FAR-BAR AS IS Addendum). An “As Is” Residential Contract includes special clauses: the seller is not required to make any repairs, and the buyer agrees to accept the property in its current condition (except for any “AS IS” maintenance requirements listed). Importantly, Florida’s AS-IS contract language makes the buyer waive future claims: the buyer “shall take title as is, waiving all rights against Seller as to any intervening defect… except as may be available… by virtue of warranties contained in the deed”​ floridarealtors.org. In plain terms, if you sign an AS-IS contract and then find hidden problems, you generally cannot force the seller to fix them (and usually can’t cancel the sale without losing your deposit).

  However, inspection rights still exist: even on an AS-IS sale, you typically have a period to inspect and may cancel if issues are found before closing. What changes is the remedy: instead of demanding repairs, you would negotiate a credit or simply walk away. Thus, buyers should use caution with AS-IS offers. If you want full protection and the seller is willing, a Standard contract (or at least standard inspections) is safer. The AS-IS form is often used by sellers who want to avoid post-inspection repair demands. Be sure you fully understand the “As Is” provisions before agreeing to them.

Common Offer Mistakes to Avoid

• Lowballing in a hot market. Offering too far below asking price may offend the seller and can outright get your offer rejected. A more reasonable strategy is to offer near market value or use an escalation clause to automatically top competing bids.

• No pre-approval or proof of funds. Submitting an offer without a mortgage preapproval letter (or proof of cash funds for all-cash offers) can scare sellers away. Always attach your preapproval so the seller knows financing is solid.

• Too little earnest money. A token deposit signals less commitment. Offering a meaningful earnest money amount (usually 1–3% of price) shows you’re serious and at risk.

• Missing contingencies or deadlines. Not setting an inspection deadline or forgetting to include a home inspection contingency can cost your deposit if problems emerge. On the flip side, including too many unrealistic demands (asking for every minor appliance or asking the seller to pay all closing costs) can make your offer look greedy. Keep seller requests focused on big-ticket items.

• Waiving contingencies blindly. As noted, waiving inspection or financing contingencies can make your offer stand out, but at great personal risk. Don’t waive any contingency unless you can truly afford the consequences.

• Unrealistic personal property requests. Asking for too much (like all furniture) can turn a seller off. Stick to what’s reasonable and common (appliances, fixtures) and be prepared to pay more if you want extras.

By avoiding these pitfalls and writing a complete, well-documented offer, you’ll maximize the chance the seller accepts your terms.

Ready to Make Your Move?

Writing a winning offer is a balance of preparation and strategy. You’ll need confidence in your financing and a clear plan for contingencies and timing. But remember: you don’t have to go it alone. Karen at SWFLifestyles specializes in Southwest Florida real estate and can guide you through every step. Whether it’s pre-approval advice, finding the perfect home, or crafting a strong offer, she’s got the local expertise you need.

Florida’s home-buying process has its quirks, but with the right agent and information, you can navigate it smoothly. Karen is ready to answer your questions and help you make an offer that gets accepted.  Reach out to SWFLifestyles today, and let Karen put her years of experience to work for you!