An offer is most attractive when it has no contingencies (like "subject to finance" or "subject to the sale of another home").
Sellers choose auctions because they provide an with no cooling-off period. To compete with that, your pre-auction offer should ideally be: how to buy a house before auction
Timing is everything. Submitting an offer too early might signal desperation, while waiting too long might mean the seller is already committed to the auction process. An offer is most attractive when it has