Is my offer too aggressive?

That's a lot of money to put at risk, especially while removing two important protections. I wouldn't judge the offer only by whether it could win. Before signing anything like this, have the lender show you what a lower appraisal would mean for your actual cash requirement. Get an independent inspection while you still have a meaningful choice about proceeding. The July 2025 report was already several months old when you asked, and it isn't a substitute for understanding the property's current condition. Ask a Washington real estate attorney to explain exactly when that $150,000 could be lost and what rights would remain under the proposed contract. A deposit that size isn't automatically all nonrefundable, but you shouldn't commit it without understanding the consequences. Your offer needs to work for you if the inspection, appraisal or financing goes badly, not just if everything goes smoothly. Austin Moore Broker/Owner, Austin Moore & Company Real Estate Realtor in Longview, Texas

Ankur, run the arithmetic on the earnest money before you decide anything else. $150,000 on $1,920,000 is roughly 7.8 percent. A more typical deposit at that price would be around 3 percent, or about $57,600. Your agent is asking you to put roughly $92,400 more at risk than a standard offer would, at the same time as removing the two protections that would let you get it back. That is the actual question, and it is not really "is this aggressive." It is "am I comfortable that $150,000 is now effectively non-refundable." Because that is what waiving inspection and appraisal does. Strip away the language and here is your position: If the appraisal comes in at $1.85M, your lender lends against the lower of price or appraised value, so you bring the $70,000 difference in cash on top of your down payment. No contingency, no renegotiation, no walking. If something significant turns up that the July inspection did not catch, it is yours. You bought it. If you cannot or will not close, you are looking at losing the deposit, and in some circumstances at exposure beyond it, including a claim for specific performance. The deposit is your floor of risk, not necessarily your ceiling. Now the pre-inspection, which is being treated as a substitute for your own and should not be. That report was done in July 2025. You asked this in February 2026, so it was already about seven months old. Anyone reading this now is looking at a report roughly thirteen months old. Things happen to houses in a year: a winter of roof loading, a plumbing leak, a furnace that finally quits. More importantly, a seller-ordered pre-inspection is a report the seller paid for, disclosed selectively, and had every incentive to keep tidy. It is useful information. It is not your inspector working for you. At minimum, ask whether the report is transferable, whether you can speak with the inspector directly, and whether you can do a walkthrough with your own inspector even without a contingency. A non-contingent inspection still tells you what you are buying, and you can do it before you write, not after. Here is the structure I would push your agent on instead: an escalation clause. You state a base price and a maximum, and your offer automatically beats competing offers by a set increment up to your cap, with proof of the competing offer required. It lets you compete on price without pre-paying for the privilege, and it usually lets you keep at least one contingency instead of none. If your agent is asking you to waive everything AND overpay the deposit AND go in at a fixed high number, ask what the escalation clause version looks like and why they prefer this one. Two other questions worth asking your agent directly, and the answers should be specific: How many offers do you actually know of, and how do you know. "They're expecting a lot of interest" is not an answer. What have comparable homes in this neighborhood closed at in the last ninety days, and where does $1.92M sit against them. If it is above every closed comp, you have your appraisal answer already. At this price and with this much of your cash exposed, an hour with a Washington real estate attorney before you sign is inexpensive insurance. Ask them specifically about your exposure if you default and whether the earnest money is your maximum liability. None of this means do not do it. Sammamish is competitive and sometimes an aggressive offer is genuinely the price of admission. But make that choice with the number in front of you: $92,400 of extra deposit, no inspection protection, no appraisal protection. If you can absorb a $70,000 appraisal gap in cash and still sleep, proceed. If you cannot, this offer is not aggressive, it is unaffordable, and that is a different word. I am Zoltan Peresztegi, a real estate professional in Los Angeles and the South Bay, and I am not an attorney. I do not work Sammamish, but I am glad to help you pressure-test the numbers, or connect you with a strong local agent through my network. Zoltan

That’s definitely a very aggressive offer structure. High earnest money plus waiving both inspection and appraisal contingencies usually means: • You’re taking on most of the risk if something is wrong with the home • You’re exposed if the appraisal comes in low • The seller gets a very clean, low-friction deal This kind of strategy is typically used only when: • The market is extremely competitive • The home has multiple strong offers • You’re comfortable with worst-case repair and valuation risks Even with a pre-inspection, that doesn’t replace a full inspection or protect you the same way a contingency does. If you’re unsure, it’s worth asking your agent: • What specific competition are we trying to beat? • What risk are we accepting and why is it necessary here? • Is there a less aggressive version that still keeps us competitive?

It’s aggressive, yes. Whether it’s too aggressive depends on your risk tolerance and how strong the property and comps are. Waiving inspection means you’re accepting unknown issues. A pre-inspection helps, but it’s months old and not done for you. Waiving appraisal means if it comes in low, you cover the gap out of pocket. $150K earnest is also high. That money is at risk if something goes wrong and you can’t exit cleanly. This kind of offer is meant to win in a competitive situation, not to protect you. If you’re comfortable financially and really want the house, it can make sense. If you’re stretching or unsure, consider a middle ground. Keep some protection, shorten timelines, or limit your risk instead of removing it completely. Simple way to think about it. Strong offers win homes. Protected offers protect you. You have to decide which matters more here.

A few more details would be required to accurately assess; primarily the market value of the home, condition and asking price. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Yes! that inspection is too old. I would never waive appriasal or inspection unless there is a bidding war, and you just have to have this house.

I never recommending waiving appraisal . The market prices have shifted enough in the past year that you want to know this will appraise for what you’re paying . Also the inspection report is too old to be relied on for purchase . In this market where buyers seem to have the leverage , waiving contingencies designed to protect a buyer is not prudent .

It is hard to say without knowing everything about what’s going on with the home, but I would never want to have my clients be without some protection, so removing contingencies may not be the best thing

Waiving both inspection and appraisal contingencies and putting up that much earnest money is very aggressive and exposes you to real risk if anything is wrong with the home or the value comes in low. Pre‑inspections help, but they’re a snapshot in time and don’t protect you if new or missed issues show up later and you’ve waived your right to renegotiate or walk away without losing your deposit. Earnest money is often around 1–3% of the price in many markets, so 150k on 1.92mm is at the high end and would be a painful amount to lose if something goes sideways.

It definitely could be aggressive, but whether it is too aggressive depends on your finances, your risk tolerance, and how badly you want the property. In competitive Washington real estate markets, strong offers often include large earnest money and fewer contingencies, but that also increases your exposure. Waiving inspection means you are relying heavily on the pre inspection and accepting the risk that issues may have been missed or may have changed since that report. Waiving appraisal means you may need to bring in additional cash if the home does not appraise at the purchase price. The earnest money is also a big factor, especially if it becomes nonrefundable early. I would want to know how competitive the situation is, how confident you are in the property value, and whether you can comfortably handle an appraisal gap or repairs if something unexpected comes up. In Spokane and other competitive markets, aggressive offers can win, but you need to fully understand the downside before removing protections.

An offer isn’t aggressive — it’s strategic. The real question is whether the risk level matches your comfort level. Waiving inspection and appraisal contingencies, especially at that price point, significantly increases your exposure. Even with a recent pre-inspection, conditions can change, and appraisal gaps can become very real financial obligations. Strong earnest money plus waived contingencies can make an offer very competitive — but you should only move forward if: • You’re fully comfortable absorbing unexpected repair costs • You have liquidity if the appraisal comes in low • You understand what protections you’re giving up Before deciding, I’d want to look closely at comps, days on market, and how competitive the situation truly is. There’s often a way to make an offer strong without making it reckless. If you want to walk through it, I’m happy to break down the risk vs. reward with you.

I think it would depend on the situation. You could negotiate to still have an inspection without the contingency. I know a really good agent in your area if you'd like a second opinion? Text me 509-288-0082

Do you feel comfortable waiving inspections? How long has the home been on the market? Is it a competitive bid situation? Has your agent picked up the phone and called to have a conversation? Do you love the house?

Thats hard to say without knowing the particulars but ultimately its going to come down to what you feel comfortable with. Remember you are the star of the show not your agent. They are there to guide you and offer advice but do what feels right for you.

If there are multiple offers, I think this a a good offer as long as you can at least perform your own inspection and be able to terminate. Some buyers waive the right to ask for any inspection items to be repaired, and that makes an offer stronger, but I would always strongly urge a buyer to get their own inspection and have the right to terminate should the inspection uncover major issues you are not comfortable with in the home to move forward with purchasing the home. Not sure the list price. If there are NOT multiple offers, then I would not waive the inspection or appraisal.

Waiving inspections is always risky, the fact that there even is a pre-inspection within the year is a plus but a pre-inspection also does not necessarily be as thorough as a buyers inspection. It really depends on if you feel comfortable relying on someone else's inspection and the time gap.