Sometimes the Lowest Offer Wins
Sometimes, real estate isn’t about how much money you offer. It’s about how you offer it.
The Problem No Homeowner Wants
Last week, past clients of mine came to me with a very specific goal. They loved their home, but there was one looming issue, the vacant lot directly behind it. If someone built there, their privacy, views, and peace and quiet would disappear overnight.
So they decided to be proactive and buy the lot themselves before anyone else could.
The Setup
The lot was listed at $20,000, and almost immediately we heard the three words buyers hate most:
Multiple offers. Highest and best due by end of day.
Instead of panicking or blindly throwing out a full price offer, we talked strategy.
My clients were comfortable paying up to $20,000, but they didn’t want to overpay if they didn’t have to. That’s where creativity came in.
The Strategy
We submitted an offer at $15,000 with an escalation addendum stating that if there was a higher competing offer, my clients would beat it by $1,000, up to a maximum purchase price of $20,000.
Clean.
Clear.
Flexible.
The Call That Sounded Like Bad News
Not long after, the listing agent called me and said our offer was the lowest one on the table.
Most people would assume that’s the end of the story.
But here’s the twist.
Once all the offers were lined up, our escalation clause kicked in. The next highest offer came in at $19,000, which meant our offer automatically escalated to $20,000, making us the highest offer overall.
Lowest on paper.
Highest where it mattered.
First Closing
We went under contract and closed the very next week. My clients officially owned the lot behind their home, and no one would ever build there.
Or so we thought.
The Plot Twist No One Saw Coming
Right after closing, the listing agent sent me a lead saying someone had reached out interested in the lot.
My first thought was, they literally just bought it, why would anyone be calling now?
But being the attentive agent that I am, I followed up.
Turns out, the interested party lived right next door and had already been using the lot to park vehicles. They really wanted it.
The Unexpected Win
I explained that my clients had gone through the trouble of securing the lot, paying for the survey and title insurance, and buying it specifically to prevent construction behind their home. If they were going to consider selling, it would have to be worth it.
After some negotiations, we landed at $26,000, and added a land use restriction directly to the deed stating that no residential structure could ever be built on the lot.
We closed less than a week after the first closing.
Two closings.
One week apart.
On the same property.
A first in my career.
The Takeaway
In the end, my clients permanently protected their backyard privacy and walked away with a profit at the same time.
What a wild circumstance, and exactly why I love what I do.
This is why real estate contracts matter. Price gets attention, but structure wins deals. A well written offer can protect your wallet, secure your goals, and sometimes even create an unexpected win after closing.
And yes, sometimes the lowest offer really does win.
