How Much To Offer

When you make an offer on a house, your biggest decision is how much to offer. Although you don’t want to pay more than you have to, it is sometimes hard to predict how much is “enough” for the seller.

Some sellers price their homes at their bottom line and may be unwilling to negotiate, unless the house has been on the market for a long time. Others build in a little room for negotiation. Some sellers are more motivated than others to get their homes sold. Whatever your situation, it is hard to know what sellers will do until they are presented with an offer.

If your offer is very low, your finances might look shaky, and asking the sellers to pick up closing costs might just result in a refusal of your offer. If your original proposal is unacceptable, the seller will usually make a counter offer. While sellers like to get their asking prices, good listing agents prepare them for the possibility of receiving offers that involve some compromises.