A Realtor has shown you a house in town that you
like a lot. There is only one problem--the price seems too high. In a situation
like this, you can still make an offer that you feel is appropriate.
The Realtor cannot tell you how much to offer but can give you
information about the selling prices of similar homes in the area. The agent
will present your offer to the sellers. They have three choices--they can
accept, reject, or counter your offer. If the house is a new listing, or if your
offer is very low, they may decide to hold out for something better. Sellers
frequently build a little negotiating room into their asking price. Prices that
are not negotiable at the beginning of a listing period may become flexible as
time goes on. If you want to test the sellers' flexibility, make them an offer.
