$17,000 Under Asking and Done in 18 Days. Yes, Really.

There’s a very specific look first-time homebuyers get when they walk into the house.

It starts with curiosity.
Then silence.
Then you see it.

They’re mentally arranging furniture.

That’s exactly what happened here.

About a month earlier, we had sat down for a buyer consultation. Not the fluffy kind. The real kind. The “here’s how this actually works, here’s how we win, and here’s how we protect you” kind.

Fast forward past pre-approval, past the late-night Zillow scrolling, past the “what about this one?” texts.

Day one of showings, we narrowed things down.

Day two? Boom.

We walked in, and I could tell before she said a word. This was it.

Now here’s where it gets fun.

The home was listed at $299,000.

Most buyers think they have two options in this situation:

1. Offer full price and hope.

2. Go low and pray.

We did neither.

We built a strategic offer, backed by comps and market data, and submitted it below list price.

Final accepted price? $282,000.

That’s $17,000 under asking.

But wait, we weren’t done.

We also negotiated:
• Professional house cleaning
• AC duct cleaning
• A $600 home warranty
• A $350 credit for minor items

Because buying a home isn’t just about the number. It’s about walking in on day one feeling good about what you just did.

Now here’s the plot twist.

After negotiations were locked in, we revisited financing. When we reviewed the numbers again, it made more sense for her to switch to a conventional loan.

So we pivoted.

And then, because why not keep the momentum going, we moved the closing up from the 28th to the 18th.

Eighteen days.

On a conventional loan.

In and out. Clean. Strategic. Smooth.

No chaos. No drama. Just preparation meeting opportunity.

The best part wasn’t the price reduction. It wasn’t the credits. It wasn’t even the accelerated closing.

It was the moment she realized, “I’m actually doing this.”

First-home energy is different. It’s pride mixed with disbelief mixed with “wait… this is mine?”

That feeling never gets old for me.

This is why strategy matters. This is why preparation matters. And this is why having someone in your corner who knows when to push, when to pivot, and when to close the deal makes all the difference.

First-time buyer.
$17,000 under asking.
18-day close.