Is it rude to offer a lot below the asking price

[Islagrey6]

I am going to view a house on Saturday, I told the estate agent it is £50 k over my absolute maximum budget. He said I should look at it anyway as it’s been up for a while (June and the price has already been dropped twice since then) so I agreed as I don’t really have anything better to do. I like it from the photos so I was wondering if it would be rude and socially unacceptable if I like it in person to offer £50 k below the asking price. I personally have nothing to lose and have been completely straight up about my budget.

It depends on how much the house is in the first place. £50k on a £1million house is very different to £50k on a £150k house!

Think £50 k on a £450 house

I’d like to be able to afford a £1 million house!

Agree with pp, depends on the price.
The fact that it has been on the market since June suggests the original asking price was ambitious.

How does the asking price compare with other similar properties?

Worth a try, they can say no

compare with others etc....i looked on Zoopla today as thinking of selling our rental house....website suggests about 780k...which is nonsense...be lucky to get 650K...!!

You can offer what you like, its a business transaction, but you normally offer via estate agent. I have offered 50k below on a 350k house and I got it though was a cash buyer who could move quickly. If estate agent knows your budget they must think there is a possible deal.

I think when it was originally put up in June, it was in alignment with other similar properties, the reductions have now made it a bit cheaper than other similar properties. It does need a bit of work doing on it which I don’t mind. Having said that, at the moment I’m basing this on pictures, I could go in person and find it has larger problems. It’s in a desirable location so I’m surprised it didn’t sell for its original price

Maybe a previous buyer dropped out?

It's worth a look anyway. The worst you can say is that your max offer is £400k.

We've offered 10-15% below asking on a couple of occasions, didn't get accepted on every occasion but if the offer is in line with prices of similar houses what have you got to lose?

Of course it's not rude. I offered £50k under on an 'offers above' house! They didn't accept my offer but were willing to negotiate on it. You never know until you try... and seriously what's the worse that can happen? They say no? You're in no worse position!

OP it’s a business transaction. There is nothing rude about negotiating. Only offer what it’s worth and put in your offer if you like it. Don’t give a second thought to what people thing.
I’ve always been aggressive negotiating houses!

Thanks everyone!! If I like it on Saturday I’ll think about offering within my budget

We got 30k off a house worth much less than the one you’re looking at. It’s had previously been reduced a couple of times too.
You don’t ask, you don’t get.

We recently bought a house for 50k below asking price.So yes, worth a try, especially if it's been on the market a while.

Would you really rather pay 50 k than the chance that one stranger thinks you're rude?

I offered 375 on a house last year which was for sale for 425. It was refused, I went to 380 and eventually 385 was accepted.
It had been up for sale for a couple of months but has an odd lay out which many people found off putting. For me buying the sort of house in the exact area I wanted despite it being a filthy dump was worth it. A year on it's really home and, according to Zoopla or whatever worth 485
So go for it, I was honest from the start about what I could afford