I think I finally have a deal.

[Tammy Braz]

So, it's been about a year since I decided to start investing in rental properties. What a roller coaster.  I've gone from MF to SF to vacation rentals and back.  I put offers in on several houses but I was never the high bidder or the most attractive offer. My latest property, a SF, I went in at asking after it was reduced several times and my agent said that there were multiple offers (Don't really know if that was the case but what are you going to do?) 

It's a short sale and the seller has approved it but the bank still has to approve the sale.  My agent stated that I should send in my large deposit and have an inspection even though the bank hasn't approved the sale. Does this sound weird?  I feel like I should wait until the offer has been accepted by the bank before the inspection and large deposit? I told her this but she said that the bank would know that I was serious if I put down the $20,000 deposit and the inspection would let me know if I needed to negotiate any repairs.  I already left a $1,000 deposit.