I heard one agent recently explaining that buyers "just didn't get it" and that the offers he was getting were ridiculously low. My hunch is it's not the buyers who aren't reading the tea leaves!

Any offer from any buyer ought to be aggressive right now. Yes, that means aggressive on price. But it also means thinking about what else you might want. A home inspection should be a no-brainer. By the way, that was true during the height of the hot seller's market as well, in my opinion. Ask for a home warranty. Why wouldn't you? If you need help with closing costs, ask! 3% for closing cost assistance is fairly normal right now in this market.

But you might also get creative. Really want the flat panel TV? Why not ask them to throw it in! Need a riding lawn mower for that three acre place you just bought? See if the sellers will leave it with the house. Do they have a fabulous gas grill that has you drooling? Why not ask? Listen, sellers can always say no! You will never have a better market in which to push hard for a great bargain. Get aggressive!

By the way, I've written offers where I've asked for a dog to convey! (In my defense, the owners seemed to view the dog as a nuisance and my clients were passionate dog lovers!) I've heard of people asking for the car they admired in the garage. Now is the time to be creative!

If you've got a story about asking for something out of the ordinary I'd love to hear it!