I want to make an offer, do I start low or give everything I've got?

[CobOnTheCorn]

I'm rubbish at this! The house is on for £530 and I'd love to offer £499,950 to avoid the stamp duty jump but I don't want to appear as though I'm not serious.

Feeling a bit nervous and looking an objective voice of reason please.

Where in the country are you? What is your position and the position of the vendor?

I think that is a very sensible offer but if you think they want more for it can you negotiate money on fixtures and fittings to get closer to their asking price thus avoiding stamp duty?

I think it's a fair starting point. You may get lucky depending upon their circumstances, you may have to then offer more but you won't know if you don't ask.

The house is in Wanstead. We're on the market but only just so no offers yet. House for sale is empty, possible probate situation.

Bumbez, I'd happily given them a separate amount of money to avoid stamp duty but I thought it wasn't allowed.

The fixtures and fittings aren't really worth much...

Wait until you have an offer before making any lower than asking price offers in London.

We went well under asking price, and then crept up a bit.

They will be expecting lower offers, and will of course know that people will want to avoid stamp duty.

It really depends on the house, how long it has been on the market, how many others are interested.

We're selling in Surrey, if that makes a difference.

The house has been on the market for a few months, they had a buyer who pulled out when he realised he couldn't build a whole new house!

Lots of viewings at the weekend which is why I'm worried I'll need to go higher than £500k. Bloody stamp duty!

No point doing anything till you've got a proceedable offer on your own house.

Look at sold prices for similar houses in your area (on rightmove or zoopla) to see if this one is priced competitively or not.