3 Tips for Countering a Lowball Offer on Your Home

As a home seller, there is always a chance that you may receive a lowball offer on your house. When this happens, you might feel disappointed and frustrated and be ready to move on to the next offer. However, a lowball offer may set the table for a negotiation, particularly for a home seller who knows how to respond to this proposal properly.

Ultimately, it is important to assess any offer on your home, even if this proposal fails to meet your initial expectations. And even though it may be tough to take a lowball offer seriously, you'll want to consider the pros and cons of it before you make your next move.

What does it take to assess a lowball offer on your home and counter it accordingly? Here are three tips to help a home seller do just that.

1. Stay Focused on Your Goals

For home sellers, you want to sell your home, maximize its value and move through the home selling process as quickly as possible. As such, you'll want to keep these goals in mind any time you receive a lowball offer.

If you receive a lowball offer, remain focused on your goals, and try not to get too emotional about it. With this approach, you'll be able to remain calm, cool and collected and respond to the proposal without the risk of burning any bridges between you and a potential homebuyer.

2. Respond to the Homebuyer's Offer

What you might consider to be a lowball offer may be a fair proposal in the eyes of a homebuyer. Thus, you should respond to a homebuyer's proposal, regardless of whether you consider it to be a lowball offer. By doing so, you may be able to open the lines of communication and help the homebuyer better understand what you consider to be a fair price for your residence.

After you receive a lowball offer, you may choose to pass on it and can relay your decision through your real estate agent. In this scenario, you can let the homebuyer know that you appreciate his or her offer but are going to pass on it. That way, you can decline the proposal politely and await offers that fall in line with your expectations.

Comparatively, you might decide to counter a homebuyer's initial offer, and your real estate agent can pass along the information about what you would be willing to accept for your house. By countering a homebuyer's offer, you may be able to begin a negotiation that could help you accelerate the home selling process.

3. Establish Realistic Expectations

Pricing your home competitively from the get-go is paramount for any home seller. With a competitive price, you'll be able to set realistic expectations for homebuyers and may be able to avoid the risk of receiving a lowball offer entirely.

When it comes to determining a fair price for your house, consult with your real estate agent. Remember, your real estate agent possesses industry experience and can help you set a fair price for your house based on the current real estate market's conditions.