Jumping the Gate

“Gate jumping”. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? It seems like in the environment we are in in 2023, you will frequently see on a listing that offers are being presented on a certain day and time. And honestly, that usually is the best way to do it. Follow what the seller and the Listing Agent have decided is their process for presenting offers. We have run into situations here in the office a number of times where someone will go “oh, we went ahead and made our offer, but we really want an answer now.” And generally speaking, that doesn’t work so well for the buyer unless they are making such a strong offer that it is blows the doors off of anything else that may be presented.

Usually it is a buyer that wants the house really, really, really badly and they are trying to get it for less than they would have to pay in a multiple offer situation. This can sometimes result in that buyer not getting the house at all because of the impression it leaves for the seller.