← Blog
BuyingBuyers4 min

Run cash to close before the offer

Down payment is obvious. The painful part is everything else that shows up when the timeline is already moving.

Closing cash is a stack

Cash to close includes down payment, lender fees, title and escrow fees, prepaids, reserves, inspection costs, appraisal costs, and the timing of earnest money.

A buyer who only models down payment is not modeling the actual purchase.

Credits are not magic

Seller credits can help, but they have limits and lender rules. A credit that looks good in the negotiation can still leave a funding gap.

Make the offer cleaner

Before the offer, run a cash-to-close estimate. You do not need perfection. You need enough clarity to avoid discovering the gap when everyone is already tired.