Pre-approval is the non-negotiable first step. A buyer who can show a lender's pre-approval letter is a credible offer to a seller in a way that a buyer still waiting on financing is not, and in a low-supply market that credibility can be the difference between an accepted offer and a rejected one.
Conditions are the next lever, and they need to be realistic rather than stripped to nothing. A short, clearly dated financing condition and a home inspection scheduled quickly show a seller you are serious without exposing you to real risk, which is a better balance than waiving protection you actually need.
Price still matters, but in a tight market the buyer who is organized, decisive and represented by an agent who knows the neighbourhood usually beats the buyer who is simply willing to pay the most. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.