Yes. Given that the enforceability of such a contract is not 100% assured, and given the potential pitfalls as discussed in the previous questions, the buyer should be advised to speak with their own legal counsel prior to making such an offer.
Including an escalation clause may put you at risk for paying more than what the property was appraised for. Just because someone else is making a higher offer doesn't necessarily mean the home is worth that amount.
Cons Of Using An Escalation Clause You see, by including an escalation clause in your offer, or more importantly, a cap, you are identifying the maximum amount you are willing to spend. And while a seller may appreciate your honesty, it all but destroys your chance of negotiating a better deal.
However, buyers need to be careful with these clauses as they can sometimes backfire. “An escalation clause needs to be in conjunction with a really good offer,” said Madani of Room Real Estate. “It's really the whole package to get your offer accepted.”
To add, yes, escalation clauses are highly advisable. I use them for almost every single house my buyer is going to write an offer on and we know for certain there will be other offers. The escalation clause in itself is very favorable to buyers and protects them in more ways than one.
Escalation Clauses: what has been your experience the last year? For example with a house going for $300K, you may add an escalation clause to your $325K offer saying you'll offer $10K more than any other higher offer up to a max of $355K.
Question: The general formula for an escalator clause adjustment is: new = original × (original year index / current year index).
Escalation clauses in my area are very common and have been quite successful, but $1000 is pretty much the standard.
The reason why sellers don't want escalation clauses is simple: It introduces the risk that they'll sell the house for less than what would be your best and final offer.