Negotiating a House Sale: Tips for Getting Your Asking Price

By N Khan • 24 May 2026 • Negotiation

Rule #1: Never Accept the First Offer

Unless the first offer is exactly your asking price (or above), you should almost always politely decline or make a counter-offer. Buyers expect a negotiation. If you accept a low offer immediately, they will wonder what is wrong with the house.

Evaluating Buyers

Buyer Type	Strength	Weakness
First-Time Buyer (No Chain)	Can move fast, highly motivated	May have a tight budget/strict mortgage limits
Cash Buyer	Fastest completion, no mortgage delays	Will often demand a significant discount
Buyer in a Chain	Usually willing to pay asking price	High risk of the chain collapsing

## How to Respond to a Lowball Offer If your house is listed for £350,000 and someone offers £310,000, don't get offended. It's just business. The Polite Rejection: "Thank you for the offer. However, we have had a lot of interest and £310,000 is too far below our valuation. If you can increase your offer closer to the asking price, we would be happy to consider it." The Counter-Offer: If they offer £330,000, counter at £345,000. Meet them somewhere in the middle, but slightly closer to your end.

Pro Tip

A buyer's position is just as important as their price. A £340,000 offer from a chain-free first-time buyer with a mortgage in principle is often much better than a £350,000 offer from someone who hasn't even put their own house on the market yet.

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