AIBU to offer 15-20k under asking price

Sellers own garden... hopefully the parents house is body free ;-)

Offer what you like they can only accept or turn it down. But if houses that are already modernised go for 20 to 25k more it sounds as though the house is already reasonably priced.

It’s a great pity that that’s not how things are done here. I do think sellers packs with surveys should be introduced to save people who can probably afford it the least first time buyers wasting money.

😂To be fair, I think I'd be put off by bodies in the garden.

I mean - offer and see - they either accept or dont. FWIW - out house sold for alot less that what it was worth - but we needed it gone asap as was on the hook for somewhere else so....

The vendor's circumstances don't come into it. It's not the OP's fault that the vendor has suffered a bereavement which, whilst distressing, will happen to most of us at some point.

Sounds like it has already been priced lower to account for work that needs to be done, so YABU

I just think low offers are extremely cheeky. In Scotland the survey is done beforehand & the surveyor sets the market value in its current condition. Maybe it's the done thing elsewhere though.

If they accept the offer, then OP will be buying a house they can afford... thats what an offer is. Its not a demand, its an offer, the seller isnt obliged to accept.

So did you offer lower @HappyDreamer

Speaking as a homeowner with some unearned equity myself, I think some people are getting a bit twitchy at the idea of sellers not being able to realise the prices they want.

House buying and selling is all about negotiation. If you don't look a little over your budget you could be missing out because with negotiation they can come down to your budget.

The overinflated prices from COVID and the stamp duty holiday remain in many areas, then people wonder why their houses aren't selling.

It's a business transaction and you have a read the market in your local area.

There is nothing wrong with offering below the asking price. It is not a personal relationship and no reason to worry about causing offence.

For context, we offered 20k under and it was accepted. Estate agents and many sellers are unscrupulously overpricing and profit gouging I'm certain cases.

My current house - a definite project - was on the market for £215k in a small street where the average selling price was £240k, and a recent ceiling price was £255k. I offered £185k, fully prepared to walk away if it wasn’t accepted (I was buying to fix and sell so no emotional investment, but I didn’t tell the agent that, obviously). It was. Noting ventured, nothing gained.

I’m a bit surprised by the number of people on here saying you shouldn’t make a cheeky offer.

Negotiation is a standard part of house buying and selling houses. The emotional needs to be take out of it.

Good luck with your house hunting

You can offer that, but I wouldn’t expect it to be accepted. Be willing to negotiate.

Also, plenty of people prefer a house that needs some doing up, because they want to have it done to their own style anyway. I would feel bad taking out a brand new kitchen, but I would hate to live with someone else’s grey and black misery-fest. So I wouldn’t expect a huge discount because it’s a bit shabby.

Or she could just buy a house she can afford.

Because £20k is the physical cost - not the cost of the inconvenience, and time and effort

Why don't you just offer what you want to pay. They will either accept / reject or counter.

You don't need permission from strangers on mn.

Just be prepared for a no as an answer. I don't like the England and Wales house selling process, but make use of it as it exists.

Obligation to a stranger... OP doesn't know them and has no obligations.

The seller could be a mass murdering serial killer with bodies in their garden, the dead parent could have been a pedophile or narcissist who abused their kids and was NC for years and the seller wants it gone.

Stop trying to pour guilt onto OP. They are a stranger to the seller. There is no guilt or Obligation.

It really depends on what price the house was marketed at as to whether they are likely to accept or not.

Also how long it has been on the market.

If it was priced to sell as a fixer upper and below properties done up in a similar state then it is unlikely to be reduced. Also, if it has only been on the market 5 minutes then someone is unlikely to want to take the first offer that comes along if it is a low ball.

OTOH if it is priced above where the market is for the local area and been on for a month then maybe a better chance they will accept.

I would always offer what I think it is worth to me, and would be prepared to go a little higher to clinch the deal.

They can only say no. Everyone expects to drop a little on asking price unless it’s on at “offers over”. I made a cheeky offer of £300k on a house which was on at £325k thinking they would ask to meet in the middle. They said yes! I was a bit wary about finding ‘the catch’ when the searches and survey etc were done. But it all looks good. Again it was a probate sale and had previously fallen through so they probably just wanted it gone. If I’d had the funds I’d have definitely paid £350k for this place so I think I got a bargain.

YANBU to offer what you think it's worth, but at the same time they won't be unreasonable to decline if they want/think it's worth more. Good luck though OP! x