Best and final offers - any tips or tactics?

[cazzabazza]

Looking likely that a property we're going to put an offer in on will go to best and final offers. Any advice or tips on tactics? What can we do to improve our chances and maximise our attractiveness as buyers?
Also, does anyone know if EA's are able to tell us what the previous highest offer was before it goes to best and final?

Put your bid in twenty minutes before it all closes and big only what the house is worth to you.

do it ebay snipe-style, bidding an unusual number, eg £232, 567.45.

may help if you both bid around the same.

also be chain free, funding agreed, ready to move quickly, and try to be the 'right sort' -e.g. if it is a beloved garden, be people who will look after it.

all easier said than done I know!

Agree with pp. Do you know who the vendor is? Are they bothered about selling to a family / wanting a quick sale / highest price? Ask the EA. Then match your offer to what they're looking for as far as you can (eg you want it as your family home to bring up your family in a lovely neighbourhood / gorgeous garden etc, or if they want a quick sale you have a morthage agreed in principle, youcsn move within X weeks, H / family friend is lawyer, or if its just money, go as high as you can afford and don't make it a round number. We have done it twice and got the houses both times.

Agree with pp. Do you know who the vendor is? Are they bothered about selling to a family / wanting a quick sale / highest price? Ask the EA. Then match your offer to what they're looking for as far as you can (eg you want it as your family home to bring up your family in a lovely neighbourhood / gorgeous garden etc, or if they want a quick sale you have a morthage agreed in principle, youcsn move within X weeks, H / family friend is lawyer, or if its just money, go as high as you can afford and don't make it a round number. We have done it twice and got the houses both times.