Part 1: Off-Market Levers. On-Market Instincts.How to Structure Offers That Get Accepted

Most people assume sellers want the highest possible price.

That’s what I thought – until I started buying homes off-market directly from sellers.

In those situations, I noticed something that surprised me:

Price was almost never the deciding factor.

Instead, every deal revolved around three main levers:

Ease. Speed. Risk.

These sellers weren’t trying to maximize their return. They were trying to reduce the friction of a sale – to remove stress, not squeeze every dollar.

Price still played a role, but it was clearly fourth on the list. Often, it wasn’t even negotiated.

⸻

In off-market deals, the hierarchy is consistent:

1. Ease – How simple can you make it?

2. Speed – How fast can this get done?

3. Risk – How certain is the outcome?

4. Price – Can I live with the number?

The trade-off was clear: sellers were exchanging potential upside for clarity, control, and closure.

But in on-market deals, the dynamic shifts.

There’s far more variability in how sellers weigh each factor.

• One might tolerate a long escrow to get a higher price.

• Another might accept less for an all-cash offer with no contingencies.

• Someone else might care most about minimizing hassle.

• Yet another might want a rent-back.

• Another might prefer an installment sale.

One of the most valuable soft skills a strong buyer’s agent can bring—especially in a competitive market like the Bay Area—is the ability to surface what truly matters to the seller.

Not just what they say out loud, but what their tone, pacing, or hesitation might suggest.

Sometimes the seller’s real priorities aren’t fully articulated—they’re implied, or even avoided.

That’s where a sharp agent makes the difference: by asking better questions, tracking what’s left unsaid, and tailoring offers around the seller’s underlying needs—not just the stated ones.

Because of that, crafting a winning on-market offer is more complex—and especially important in the Bay Area’s hot market. You have to:

• Understand what the seller values most

• Shape your offer to match that

• While still protecting your own tolerances on speed, risk, and complexity

It’s a balancing act.

⸻

If this gave you a clearer understanding of what it actually takes to structure winning offers in today’s market—and how a great agent works behind the scenes—I’d be grateful for your referrals.

They’re what allow me to keep doing this work and sharing more of it.

Next time, I’ll share two stories that illustrate these principles in action—and the kind of hands-on effort this work really requires.