You’re finally ready to take the plunge and put in an offer on your dream house. You found something that is perfect for you and your family’s needs and you’re willing to pay the asking price. It’s a sure thing, right? Not so fast!

A Seller’s market means that there are more buyers than there are homes available for sale. In may mean that your full-price offer just isn’t going to cut it. So, what can you do to get that perfect house you’ve searched for high and low? These tips might push your offer to the front of the line.

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Make Your Offer as Clean As Possible: A clean offer should not be contingent on the sale of another property of have other financial constraints. It should also be free of seller concessions, which are things that a buyer asks for outside of the offer price.

Avoid Asking for Personal Property: Drooling over the sparkly chandelier listed in the exclusions? Don’t ask for it. Want them to throw in that cool lawn furniture? Skip it. Your offer could be very similar in price to another offer that isn’t asking for items that belong to the Seller. Asking for personal property items could weaken your offer.

Offer Above – Asking Price: This is not the market for making low offers and hoping someone will bite. You will have to make your offer strong enough to beat out a multiple-bid situation. If you want the house, you’re likely going to have to go above market price.

Put Down A Strong Earnest Money Deposit: Your earnest money deposit is proof that you are a good -faith buyer. Usually, the listing real estate broker will hold onto your earnest money deposit in their escrow account, and it will contribute to your down payment and closing costs. In today’s market your earnest money deposit is usually 1%-3% of the purchase price of the home.

Have a Strong Pre-Approval Letter from a Reputable Lender: It is important to have met with your lender and provided them with their request documentation so that you have a strong pre-approval letter. The larger the down payment that you are able to put down on the home the stronger your offer will look to the Seller.

Add an Escalation Clause to Your Offer: An escalation clause means that your offer will outbid other offers up to a maximum price. This means that you make an offer saying you will pay X price for a home, but if a higher offer comes in, you will increase your offer to Y price.

Pay with Cash: Cash offers always look the best to the Seller. A bank finance deal is usually subject to financing contingencies and appraisals. This leaves the back door open for the Buyer to exit. Also, when a Buyer finances a property, they are at the mercy of the lenders process. This could deter a seller, especially if they have other cash offers on the table.

The Bottom Line: While they may seem small, these things can go a long way to making your offer stand out and get you the home of your dreams. Establishing that you’re a serious buyer, with the financial capabilities to meet all obligations, is the way to a seller’s heart. Be willing to go the extra mile, both in your intention and in your financial offers. If you do so, the seller of your dream home will notice your effort and give your offer a second glance.