Congratulations, you have searched high and low and found a home you would like to live in and can afford. You head will be full of ideas of what price to offer, what contingencies you want included with the offer, what personal property you would like included in the sale and many, many more.

So what are the next steps you need to make to try to secure this home? You will need to make an offer. An offer is a legally binding contract, which must be in written form. Verbal agreements are not sufficient. If you are in any doubt as to what is the meaning of the contract, consult your attorney and seek his legal counsel. Your agent should be able to help answer many questions and will generally help you complete the purchasing contract. Real estate laws differ in different states. The contract format and what's included will differ also. Remember to be specific and include everything in the contract. If you leave something out the seller is not obliged to include it in the sale. For example, if you want the window air conditioning units to be included in the sale, include this in the contract. If the seller verbally agreed to do this and you move in and find no air conditioning units in the windows, you will have no recourse.