Free guide · Updated July 2026 · 7 min read
Making an offer on a house: how to get it accepted
The short answer
Offer what you would pay for the house knowing everything you now know, not a round number that feels comfortable. Accompany the number with proof of your position (mortgage agreement in principle, chain status, solicitor instructed), make the offer through the agent by phone then confirm in writing within the hour, and never bid against yourself in silence.
Deciding the number
The asking price is the seller's opening position, not a fact about value. Your number should come from three things: comparable sold prices on the same street or estate (Land Registry, not Zoopla estimates), how long the property has been listed (check the portals' first-listed date), and what it will cost you to fix anything the viewing revealed.
Knock the emotional premium off first. If you have fallen in love with the kitchen, the seller can smell it. Decide on a walk-away number before you phone the agent, write it down, and hold it: the walk-away discipline is the single biggest predictor of not overpaying.
The call that matters
Make the offer by phone, not email. The agent's job is to sell your story to the seller, and stories travel better in conversation. Then confirm in writing the same hour, because verbal offers evaporate.
- ✓State the number, then immediately state your position: 'I'm offering £X. My AIP is in place with [lender], no chain to sell, solicitor instructed at [firm], ready to exchange within [realistic weeks]'
- ✓The position is often worth more than the price: a chain-free buyer at £5,000 below asking beats a chain of four at asking, and agents know it
- ✓Ask for a response within 48 hours: polite urgency is normal; radio silence is a negotiating tactic or a bad agent, either way worth flushing out
Best and final offers
When there are multiple interested buyers, agents sometimes ask for 'best and final offers' by a deadline. This is a sealed-bid situation: you submit once, blind, and the seller picks.
- ✓Offer your genuine best: the purpose of the exercise is to end negotiation, so bid what you'd feel sick to lose it for, not a penny more
- ✓Odd numbers feel considered: £317,500 reads as calculated; £320,000 reads as hopeful
- ✓Repeat your position in the letter: the best-and-final is a pitch, not just a price
- ✓Include a personal note if the agent says the seller would appreciate one: it sounds cringey but on family homes it frequently tips the decision
After the offer is accepted
An accepted offer in England and Wales is not legally binding until exchange of contracts, which is typically months away. This means either party can walk away. Use that knowledge defensively.
- ✓Instruct your solicitor the same day: the clock starts when the contract pack lands, not when you feel ready
- ✓Book a survey promptly: the survey is your next decision point and delaying it delays everything
- ✓Stay in regular contact with the agent: weekly check-ins signal commitment and surface problems early
- ✓Do not spend money on the new house (furniture, renovations, school applications) until exchange: one in three agreed sales fails before then
Quick answers
How much below asking price should I offer?
There is no universal percentage. Your offer should reflect comparable sold prices, the property's time on market, and its condition, not an arbitrary discount. A house priced accurately in a competitive area might sell above asking; an overpriced house that has sat for six months justifies 10 to 15 percent below. The data, not the percentage, is the argument.
Can I make an offer on a house before selling mine?
You can, and agents will accept it if the house suits a chain buyer, but your offer is weaker than a chain-free or cash buyer at the same price. Strengthen it by having your own sale agreed (ideally past survey), an AIP in hand, and your solicitor already instructed.
What happens if my offer is rejected?
The agent should tell you why: too low, a stronger buyer, or terms the seller didn't like. You can come back with a revised offer, improve your terms (shorter timeline, flexibility on completion date), or walk away. Never chase a rejection emotionally; the next house is always out there.
Put this guide to work
General information for England & Wales, not financial or legal advice. Costs are typical 2026 ranges and vary by region and circumstances.