Accepting An Offer

In every real estate market, there are buyers who make offers that are far below the current market value of the property. How should you react if your agent brings you one of these “low ball” offers? Here are some scenarios for the seller.

If your home is priced very close to its fair market value, you can simply reject the offer and be reasonably confident that a better one will appear. However, if you have priced your home higher than other comparable homes in the neighborhood, the offer may not be unreasonable.

Ask your real estate agent for advice about the buyer’s overall strategy. Do they really want your house or will they move on to another property if you make a counter offer? Can they afford to pay a higher price? Are there ways to close the gap with a small owner take-back, or with terms that will increase your bottom line? Take a hard look at your asking price and explore all your options before saying “no”, especially if you are selling in a buyer’s market.

Here is a situation that many buyers have experienced. After searching for weeks, you found the perfect home and you made a very low offer. The sellers responded with a counter-offer which was several thousand dollars lower than their asking price. You came back with a slightly higher bid, and they came down some more. After many days of back and forth, you finally reached a meeting of the minds, and you are very pleased with the results.

If you have driven a hard bargain in purchasing a house, be sensitive to the seller’s feelings as the transaction proceeds. They may be suffering from the impact of a rough negotiation. Try to minimize any additional requests you might make of the sellers. As you move toward your closing date, keep in mind that the sellers may not share your elation. If you are considerate and avoid making excessive demands, you can help everyone walk away from the transaction feeling satisfied with the outcome.