You can also sweeten it with a little cash given that you would otherwise incur a couple thousand dollars in legal fees if you have to go through the foreclosure (not to mention all that time with no income on the property).

I can only assume someone offered more than 100% of asking price.I'm not going to let this discourage my REI aspirations[b]Q: any ideas on getting creative with offers to sweeten them and set them above the rest?

Depending on the market, a cash offer with little to no contingencies and quick closing can sweeten your offer.

If that's the case, consider including all utilities as a way to sweeten the deal.4) If you're working with a realtor on the deal, ask them.Hope this helps,

If anything I expect this would yield more results on the business side considering the current climate, lots of people looking to get out of businesses especially in food service and the like are having to sweeten the deal to a much greater degree these days to attract buyers. 

We gutted the kitchen and main bath, and added a full master suite with a sweet en suite to the dormer (lots of sweet suites!).

However, there are ways to sweeten a deal and stand-out, without having to escalate the purchase price of an offer.

Secondly, I can waive my own commission when I offer on deals, which does not change my purchase price, but does sweeten my offer to the seller.

If you want to sweeten the deal, you can credit the tenant-buyer with all or part of the option fee at closing.  

That might sweeten the deal a little bit.