Help! Want to squeeze £5k out of buyer

[DexterMama]

We're on with an online agent so are doing all the negotiating ourselves.

Buyer has offered £280k but we'd accept £285k.. how can we ask for more in a nice way without alienating him?!

Thanks in advance.

Asterix fail

Alexalee do you work for Mi5?

I think go the 290k route... theres not much on around you for less

I couldn't possibly confirm or deny that

Alexa doing the detective work

oohh i stalked too...good location- just go back and see what they say. If they say no then 285 is still what you would take...still a no...walk away

FUCK I'm so nervous

Sent!!!!!! Aahhh.

Feels weird to do this over text but hey.

Any of you lot want to put an offer in? OIEO £310k MN special!

I will warn you... the next few mins will feel like hours... and the hours like days. Try and keep yourself busy and good luck

Yes DP is hoping he'll meet in the middle at £285k.

The lease isn't fabulously long (93 yrs) which he said about in his offer to us so I think he'll keep that as his bargaining chip which is fair enough.

93 years gives him 13 years to extend it before costing any extra money. Might have a point if it was under 83... I think you have given yourself the best chance of getting 285.. might even get a bit more

I’m so stressed and excited for you!

Thank god i live in the north £290k for a 1 bedroom flat, that would buy you a 4 bed house where i live

Thank you everyone!! My toddler is wondering why I'm pacing around and looking so perturbed.

Come on!!! No reply yet...

that would buy you a 4 bed house where i live

how predictable

I would simply say we're looking for closer to the asking price. Don't give any figures as you can never go higher after that.

Fingers crossed!

Ooh how exciting! £285 isn't bad for a one bed in S London. Good luck!

Glad you went with 290! He's not likely to walk away, if he wants to offer more then he will probably meet you in the middle, if not then he'll say 280 is his best and then you can decide if you're willing to take it or not.

It's normal to offer a little lower on your first offer in the expectation of being haggled up a little.

Good luck!

what an afternoon!!! So bloody stressful. But DPs dogged determination means we've just accepted an offer for £287k!! Can't believe it!!!

Thank you to all of you for your advice and cheerleading

Congratulations! Surprised he went higher than the middle ground, but that's great news 🍾

Amazing news!! I’m so happy for you!

Whoop whoop well done OP- happy for you

Congratulations! So pleased it’s worked out for you and your buyer.

It’s interesting that you were anxious about negotiating. I’m pissed off as I’ve lost a house I was really keen on buying, which is on with an online agent, because the vendors didn’t ask me to increase my offer. I went in at 1% under asking price and would have happily gone up to 10% over asking (this is London so that’s a decent sum) but they didn’t so much as acknowledge my offer, let alone ask if I’d increase it.

Don’t ask, don’t get, as you have found to your benefit!