Before making a purchase offer, learn as much as you can about your local housing market and the homeowner's motivations for selling. Ask questions about the sellers, such as why they're selling, how long the home has been listed for sale, how soon the seller needs to sell, the mortgage balance, how much the seller paid and any defects in the home. As the buyer, you're in the driver's seat, so obtain all the knowledge you can. And caution your agent not to reveal any confidential information to the seller or listing agent. Ask if the seller has a deadline.
Time is critical in negotiations.
Find out if the other party has a specific deadline. If the seller is under time pressure, use it to your advantage. Usually buyer or seller or both have deadlines. If the local home sale market is hot, the competition of other buyers might push you to act quickly once you decide on a specific home. But don't be rushed into a purchase.