Reasons to Counter an Offer to Purchase

by Maureen Citarella 12/10/2018

After you receive an offer to purchase your residence, determining the best course of action often can be difficult. Because if you make the wrong decision, you risk missing out on an opportunity to sell your house and maximize its value.

Ultimately, it may prove to be beneficial for a home seller to submit a counter-offer. There are many reasons why a seller may choose to provide a counter-proposal, and these include:

1. A homebuyer's initial offer to purchase fails to match your expectations.

Although a homebuyer's initial offer to purchase your residence fell below your expectations, you can always submit a counter-offer to find out if a buyer is negotiable. That way, you may be able to work with a buyer to find a common price that is suitable for all parties.

When it comes to selling a house, there is no harm in submitting a counter-offer. Remember, the worst response a home seller will receive to a counter-proposal is a simple "No." And even in the worst-case scenario, a seller can move forward with the property selling journey and await an offer to purchase that matches his or her expectations.

2. You are flexible about the price of your house.

As a home seller, you probably realize that what you originally paid for your house is unlikely to match your residence's current value. But even if you set a competitive initial asking price for your home, you may still want to negotiate a counter-offer if a buyer's initial proposal falls short.

The housing market constantly fluctuates, and a sector that favors sellers today may favor buyers tomorrow. Thus, if you are flexible about the price of your house, you can always negotiate a price with a buyer that accounts for the present state of the real estate sector.

3. You want to get the best-possible price for your residence.

The goal of the home selling journey is to obtain the best price for your home, regardless of the real estate market's conditions. Therefore, rather than accept or reject an offer to purchase, it may be beneficial to see if you can receive a better proposal from a buyer.

As you move along the home selling journey and review an offer to purchase, you should not hesitate to collaborate with a real estate agent. With a real estate agent at your side, you can receive plenty of guidance throughout the home selling journey.

Typically, a real estate agent will help you list your residence and promote it to prospective buyers. He or she will set up home showings and open house events and keep you up to date about any offers to purchase your residence. Then, when you receive an offer to purchase, you and your real estate agent can work together to determine how to proceed.

Hire a real estate agent – you'll be glad you did. By employing a real estate agent, you can get the help you need to fully analyze an offer to purchase your residence.

About the Author
Author

Maureen Citarella

Hi, I'm Maureen Citarella and I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.