Competing against other buyers is never a pleasant experience when buying a home. You risk missing out on a property if the seller prefers another offer, and you may find yourself getting swept up in a bidding war in an effort to secure the property.

This situation can be especially aggravating if you find yourself going up against someone who is offering to buy a home without financing. Cash buyers, who often purchase real estate as an investment rather than a primary residence, have the advantage of being able to purchase a property without getting an appraisal or approval for a mortgage. These offers can easily woo sellers who want to complete the transaction quickly.

Buyers who need to be approved for a mortgage are often dismayed to learn that there is an offer on the table that does not require financing. However, it's still possible to make your offer strong enough to compete against one that is backed by cash.

Have your real estate agent find out what the seller's goals are. Jamie Wiebe, writing for the National Association of Realtors, says a person may be concerned with convenience—such as being able to stay in the home for a month or two as they prepare to purchase a new residence—rather than a quick sale or a big cash windfall.

If speed is the seller's main concern, you should work to line up everything that will allow your offer to proceed quickly. Brendon Desimone, writing for the real estate site Zillow, says smaller lenders will often let you pre-order an appraisal. Indicate that you're willing to schedule the home inspection as soon as the offer is accepted.

Buyers who use financing may also be able to offer a better price than all-cash buyers. Gavin Grant, a San Diego real estate agent, says buyers who use cash are more likely to waive contingencies such as an appraisal or home inspection. In exchange for these benefits, they often make a lowball offer.

In order to make your bid particularly competitive against cash, however, you may have to bring it close to the asking price. Desimone says this higher bid is more likely to exceed the all-cash offer, and that buyer may not be willing to raise his bid.

Sandi Clark and Debbie Miller, a real estate team in Orange County, California, say you should research past offers to see if any have been rejected. This inquiry will give you a baseline of where your offer should be. Clark and Miller recommend making an offer at list price or slightly below it; if your bid is one of the first ones, you may want to offer a price slightly above what the seller is asking to show that you are very interested in the property.

Work with the lender to demonstrate how you will be a reliable borrower. Wiebe says real estate transactions typically fall through when a loan is denied during the closing process, so you can reassure the seller by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Get a letter from the lender to show that your credit and finances are strong enough to back the offer.

The earnest money deposit is another indicator of how serious you are about buying a property. Grant suggests putting down a sizeable deposit, but not exceeding 3 percent of your offer.

Removing contingencies can also make your offer more appealing, but it is also a riskier strategy. For example, waiving the home inspection will leave you responsible for any major repairs needed at the property.

Removing the financing contingency, which says your offer is contingent on getting approved for a home loan, can also make your offer more appealing. However, you'll have to abandon the offer—and your earnest money deposit—if you are not approved for a mortgage.

Another option is to appeal to the seller with a buyer letter. Wiebe says the seller may want to turn over the property to a homeowner and thus will be reluctant to sell to an investor. The letter should tell the seller why you like the home and what you hope to do there.