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Original poster

What to offer on house!

25 replies

DevilsKitchen · 19/04/2026 11:58

Not technically a FTB but acquired my current house after my husband’s grandfather died and we bought the other beneficiaries out so I have never been through the whole looking at houses and offering business.

We have seen a house that we LOVE but to be honest the full asking price is a bit of stretch for us. The agent said the vendors want it sold and are open to offers.

It’s currently listed at £485k

Is £470k a reasonable offer? My husband is worried about offending them and putting ourselves on the back foot in negotiations before we have even started.

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 19/04/2026 11:58

Don’t worry about offence
this is a business transaction
you can offer and the vendors are free to decline

anotheranonanon · 19/04/2026 12:10

I sold recently (last few weeks). If you actually want the house I wouldn’t low ball too far - I just discounted someone that did that to me and sold to the other bidder. In my area the market is not as bad as the press would have you believe and I sold the week the house went on the market. I took an offer that was £5k under asking in the end (they started off £15k under) but house was appropriately priced to sell. I didn’t engage at all with the buyer that started off £25k under.

Fibrous · 19/04/2026 12:16

how long has it been on the market? we had an offer of 525k accepted on a house listed at offers over 585k but it needed lots of work and it had no offers in the two years it was listed so they were way off with the price.

dicentra365 · 19/04/2026 12:19

I don’t think that’s a lowball offer. However, people often assume that the first offer was an opening offer so if you start at 470K do you have the ability to go any higher?

Advocodo · 19/04/2026 12:23

I don’t think it’s a case of what you can afford necessarily, more how does the house price compare with other similar houses and how often is a house likely come up that is as nice. If you love it that house and the price compares favourably to other houses and hasn’t long been on the market then I would offer the asking price or just below. Remember you will have a survey that might show up some things that need repairing and hasn’t already been deducted of the house price that you may be able to negotiate down. Good luck. Very excited for you.

BeMintFatball · 19/04/2026 12:24

How long has the house been on the market? What price did it go for last time it was up for sale?

if you offered £465000 as a first offer, that is still a reduction if less than 5%. If that is rejected you can then increase your offer to £470000

tinyspiny · 19/04/2026 12:26

That is a perfectly reasonable offer particularly in today’s market

TeenLifeMum · 19/04/2026 12:26

Other factors to consider - how long has it been on the market? We took over adding price on our last house because we had 3 offers the first weekend on the market. A gloss that’s sat there for 4 months or longer may be willing to reduce. It usually depends how much they need to make their next move.

rainingsnoring · 19/04/2026 12:28

DevilsKitchen · 19/04/2026 11:58

Not technically a FTB but acquired my current house after my husband’s grandfather died and we bought the other beneficiaries out so I have never been through the whole looking at houses and offering business.

We have seen a house that we LOVE but to be honest the full asking price is a bit of stretch for us. The agent said the vendors want it sold and are open to offers.

It’s currently listed at £485k

Is £470k a reasonable offer? My husband is worried about offending them and putting ourselves on the back foot in negotiations before we have even started.

You need to research your local market and look at comparables very carefully before rushing in with offers.
Don't overstretch yourself in the current climate. That could end in major problems.
Stop worrying about offending sellers. If they get offended by an offer on their house, they will be very tedious to deal with.
How long has this place been on the market?

Bringbackbuffy · 19/04/2026 12:53

speak to the estate agent- have they had other offers? Are they expecting asking price? Etc.

I don’t think your offer is low- does it give you room to increase? Most people assume the first offer is open to negotiation, so will push back.

MrsTravelBug · 19/04/2026 13:28

I think time on the market and comparable house prices are important here. We recently went to market (Feb) We went on the Friday, first viewing was Monday and they offered full asking, two more offers on the Tuesday, one at asking and one at 10k over. We sold to the first viewer who raised their offer to 5k over asking.

A lot has changed since then, the main point I am trying to make that if it is new to market and realistically priced you might lose out if you offer low. If it has been hanging around while then you have more chance of a lower offer being accepted.

Selloonacup · 19/04/2026 13:37

I would really recommend the Moving House with Charlie podcast for things like this. His take is that you should always make the offer and that people are almost never offended by an offer made clearly and respectfully. Make the offer by email and set out your own situation (are you under offer? How long is the chain? Do you also need a mortgage and if so do you have approval in principle etc etc).

Obviously depends on the market where you are but FWIW if I were offering on a house listed at £485k that had been on the market for at least a few weeks, I wouldn't start higher than £450k.

(As an aside, on the podcast I recommended he says that you shouldn't actually negotiate at all. You should work out your max comfortable price and offer it, saying clearly that it's your final offer. People push back because that's become the norm but you just say "sorry, that's my final offer" and let them accept it if they want and if not walk away. Not sure I have the bottle to do this though!)

RockNToll · 19/04/2026 14:49

If you love the house then offer that but be prepared to go higher, if you don't want to lose it.

If it has literally come on the market in the last week and is well priced then I'd offer full asking though - that gets it off the market and removes the risk of you losing a house you love. Over a 25 year mortgage the extra won't cost you much.

fashionqueen0123 · 19/04/2026 17:03

I think that’s very reasonable. Your husband needs to worry less

PyjamasForever · 19/04/2026 17:10

Sounds reasonable to me. Good luck!!

Original poster
DevilsKitchen · 19/04/2026 18:04

Thank you for the feedback. It’s been on the market about 4 weeks which I don’t think is long in the current climate

OP posts:
redboxerclub · 19/04/2026 18:17

I think four weeks is quite a long time. We saw ours and put in an asking price offer the same day on the say it went to market. We did not want to lose it as it is a unique property and fitted with our finance and specific needs. It was nearly two years ago now and the market has dropped off and was stagnant. It took 6 months to move though.

CoastalCalm · 19/04/2026 18:19

Same as others I’d open at £460

Tortephant · 19/04/2026 18:37

Ok to offer, always best to be able to justify why you believe that’s a fair price.

whats your situation? If renting, cash or alresdy under offer that puts you in a stronger position for a lower offer to be accepted.

Hellohelga · 19/04/2026 18:45

If that’s what you can afford then yes offer. They may say no but that’s life.

Walig54 · 19/04/2026 18:57

I would offer £430.000 and see what they come back with. It's what both parties are prepared to accept. No property is worth anything if there is no buyer.

asdbaybeeee · 19/04/2026 19:09

I’d go half again on what you want to pay. So if you want to pay 475 go 465 and negotiate up

rainingsnoring · 19/04/2026 20:57

Selloonacup · 19/04/2026 13:37

I would really recommend the Moving House with Charlie podcast for things like this. His take is that you should always make the offer and that people are almost never offended by an offer made clearly and respectfully. Make the offer by email and set out your own situation (are you under offer? How long is the chain? Do you also need a mortgage and if so do you have approval in principle etc etc).

Obviously depends on the market where you are but FWIW if I were offering on a house listed at £485k that had been on the market for at least a few weeks, I wouldn't start higher than £450k.

(As an aside, on the podcast I recommended he says that you shouldn't actually negotiate at all. You should work out your max comfortable price and offer it, saying clearly that it's your final offer. People push back because that's become the norm but you just say "sorry, that's my final offer" and let them accept it if they want and if not walk away. Not sure I have the bottle to do this though!)

I agree with @Selloonacup's recommendation. He's definitely worth finding on YouTube+/-X if you are unsure and want some impartial advice.

None of us can pick random figures for you. It depends on your local market and what you can afford. These are all things we have no knowledge of. What is certain is that the world economy is in a bad place and that this will impact house prices because of the knock on effects.

DrySherry · 20/04/2026 08:03

470 is too high a starting point considering the clue the agent gave you ! Start at 435 and be prepared to come up a bit from there.

XVGN · 20/04/2026 08:15

See the other "what to offer" thread (to save repeating)

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