Sometimes you find the home you know you’re going to spend the rest of your life in—and sometimes you have to sharpen your checkbooks for battle to compete against faceless prospective buyers who will fight to the death, or the end of their bank account at least.

But first you must ask yourself—should you compete in a bidding war?’

Be honest with yourself and make sure you’re not competing for vain or personal reasons.

You should stop yourself from competing just because you think the time is right to become a homeowner or to move up into a new place, Realtor.com says. A bidding war should only be necessary if you know that the home is the one worth fighting for.

Prepare for battle

Your first step before entering a bidding war should be to consult with a lender because it’s important to understand the maximum amount you can borrow, and to evaluate how much cash you have to spend while keeping enough money in a reserve fund.

Find your warrior and right-hand man

You should rely on your real estate agent for advice about how to handle a bidding war, but also do your own research and scope out the competition by visiting homes in the area where you want to buy so you understand the value of various properties before you make an offer.

How to win a bidding war

It’s important that your real estate agent makes an appealing offer based on the list price for the home, a comparative market analysis of similar homes in the neighborhood, and knowledge gained from the sellers’ agent about the sellers’ motivations and preferences.

Another quality you want in a real estate agent during a bidding war is accessibility. Make sure they are easy to communicate with during the transaction.

And when all else fails; try this

• Make sure your funds are solid: Cash is king nowadays, so make sure your loan per-approval is in place and that you have completed all the required documentation other than identifying a specific property.
• Make the settlement date convenient for the sellers: Rather than negotiating on a closing date that’s convenient to both parties, you can assure the sellers you will work with their schedule or rent back the property to them after the closing.
• Offer to pay all closing costs: You can reduce the sellers’ out-of-pocket expenses by offering to pay their share of the closing fees, but before you do this, make sure it is financially feasible.
• Put your stamp on the transaction: Sometimes the sellers who receive multiple offers can be swayed by something emotional rather with money. A personal letter describing your love of their home may tilt the scale in your favor.