The buyer's first offer is too low. How do I counter it?
Published 29 September 2026 · 7 min read · By Evren Ergin
A low first offer is the opening of a negotiation, not the final word: Alto found accepted offers averaged £6,000 above the first offer, and 54.8% of sellers ended up accepting more than the first bid. Counter with a clear number, a reason and a deadline, and check the buyer's position before you agree anything.
TL;DR
- •The first offer is rarely the last: accepted offers averaged £6,000 more than the first offer, rising to £10,000 when four or more buyers bid (Alto, 29 September 2026).
- •Just over half of sellers (54.8%) accepted an offer higher than the first one they received.
- •Counter with one specific figure backed by recent sold prices, not a round number or an emotional one.
- •Before you agree a price, find out whether the buyer has a mortgage in principle, a deposit and a chain, because a high offer from a shaky buyer is worth less than it looks.
Advertisement
A low first offer feels personal. It is not. It is how most buyers start, and new data published this week shows how often the price moves up from there.
Is a low first offer normal?
Yes. Alto, the estate agency software firm, analysed 905,265 offers made on 294,582 homes between September 2025 and August 2026. The accepted offer was on average £6,000 above the first offer, and 54.8% of sellers accepted more than the first bid they received.
How offers move in UK home sales. Source: Alto analysis of 905,265 offers, September 2025 to August 2026, published 29 September 2026.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average gap between first offer and accepted offer | £6,000 |
| Average gap when four or more buyers bid | £10,000 |
| Sellers who accepted more than the first offer | 54.8% |
| Median number of offers per home | 2 |
| Homes that received more than one offer | 69% |
| Homes that received only one offer | 31% |
| Homes with offers that still did not reach an agreed sale | 24.6% |
A counter-offer is your reply to a buyer's offer, naming the price and terms you would accept instead. It keeps the conversation open without accepting or rejecting outright.
How do I counter a low offer on my house?
1. Do not answer on the spot
Thank your agent, say you will reply within a day, and use that time to check the figures rather than reacting to the number.
2. Know your walk-away figure
Work out the lowest price that still pays off your mortgage, the agent's fee and your moving costs, and still lets your next move happen.
3. Check the buyer's position
Ask your agent whether the buyer has a mortgage in principle, how much deposit they have, whether they have a property to sell and whether it is under offer.
4. Look at the evidence
Compare the offer with recent sold prices for similar homes on your street, not with asking prices on the portals.
5. Counter with one specific figure and a reason
Give a precise number, such as £337,500, and one line of evidence, such as the sold price of a similar home nearby, so the buyer has something to take to their lender and their partner.
6. Set a sensible time frame
Ask for a reply within two or three working days, so the negotiation does not drift while other buyers are viewing.
7. Keep other buyers in the picture
Ask your agent to keep booking viewings until a price is agreed, and to tell any other interested buyer that an offer is on the table.
8. Put the agreed deal in writing
Once you agree, ask the agent to confirm the price, any fixtures included and the buyer's position in a memorandum of sale.
A low first offer is the start of a conversation. Answer it with a number, a reason and a date, not with a feeling.
How much should I counter with?
There is no fixed rule, and the right figure depends on the evidence and on how much interest you have. The table below sets out how sellers usually approach it.
Choosing a counter-offer. A ValuQ guide, set against Alto and Rightmove data, September 2026.
| Your situation | A sensible counter | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Offer well below similar local sold prices | Close to your asking price, with the sold-price evidence | The evidence does the arguing for you |
| Offer within a few per cent of the evidence | Meet part of the gap | A small gap is usually worth closing rather than losing the buyer |
| Several buyers viewing or second viewings booked | Hold firmer, or ask for best offers | Alto found gaps widen to £10,000 with four or more bidders |
| Home on the market for months with few viewings | Take the offer seriously and negotiate terms | Rightmove says only 61% of homes find a buyer (September 2026) |
What if the buyer won't budge?
Some buyers are at the top of what their lender will offer. Rightmove reported on 21 September 2026 that the average two-year fixed mortgage rate had risen to 5.29%, and that asking prices were 0.8% lower than a year earlier with the number of homes for sale at a 12-year high. In that market, a buyer who genuinely cannot go higher is common.
- Ask what the buyer can move on besides price, such as a faster timetable or a later completion that suits you.
- Decide whether the gap is worth losing a ready buyer over. Rightmove puts the average at 64 days to find a buyer.
- If you say no, say it kindly and leave the door open. Buyers often return after seeing other homes.
How do I protect myself once a price is agreed?
Agreeing a price is not the finish line. House Buyer Bureau's analysis of TwentyCi data, reported on 29 September 2026, estimated 71,959 sales fell through in the second quarter of 2026, costing an average of £3,584 per failed transaction.
- Judge commitment by what the buyer spends, not what they say: a solicitor instructed and paid, searches ordered, a mortgage application in and a survey booked.
- Move in step with the buyer. Instruct your own solicitor early, but hold back larger spends until the buyer has put money down.
- Think carefully before coming off the market until the buyer's mortgage application and survey are under way.
How do I know my asking price was right in the first place?
A counter-offer is only as strong as the price behind it. If you are unsure whether your asking price reflects today's buyers, compare views before you negotiate. Get a second opinion: competing local estate agents value your home side by side on ValuQ, free, always, and anonymously until you choose to connect.
Getting valuations does not change your current contract. Instructing a new agent during a sole agency tie-in or notice period can mean paying two fees, so check your contract first.
ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents.
Frequently asked questions
Should I accept the first offer on my house?
Not automatically. Alto found 54.8% of sellers accepted more than the first offer, and the accepted price averaged £6,000 higher. A strong first offer from a well-prepared buyer can still be worth taking, so weigh the buyer's position as well as the price.
Does my agent have to tell me about every offer?
Yes. Estate agents must pass every offer to you promptly and in writing, under The Property Ombudsman code and the rules on estate agents. Ask your agent to confirm each offer and the buyer's position by email.
Is it rude to counter-offer?
No. Counter-offers are a normal part of UK house sales, and buyers expect them. Keep it polite, specific and backed by evidence, and the negotiation stays friendly.
How long should I give a buyer to respond to a counter-offer?
Two or three working days is common. It gives the buyer time to speak to their lender without letting the sale drift while other buyers are viewing.
Can I accept an offer and keep the house on the market?
Yes, it is your choice. Some sellers keep marketing until the buyer has instructed a solicitor and applied for a mortgage. Agree this with your agent and be open with the buyer about it.
Sources
- [1]Property Industry Eye, Estate agents know the first offer may not be the last, and it could be worth £6,000 (Alto analysis of 905,265 offers, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026) · 2026-09-29 · https://propertyindustryeye.com/estate-agents-know-the-first-offer-may-not-be-the-last-and-it-could-be-worth-6000/
- [2]Brit Brief, First offer on a home is typically £6,000 below final agreed price, Alto analysis finds · 2026-09-29 · https://britbrief.co.uk/business/property/first-offer-typically-6000-below-final-agreed-price.html
- [3]Rightmove House Price Index, 21 September 2026 · 2026-09-21 · https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/content/uploads/2026/09/Rightmove-HPI-21st-September.pdf
- [4]Property Industry Eye, Property fall-throughs jump as cost of failed sales climbs (House Buyer Bureau analysis of TwentyCi data, Q2 2026) · 2026-09-29 · https://propertyindustryeye.com/property-fall-throughs-jump-as-cost-of-failed-sales-climbs/
- [5]The Property Ombudsman, Code of Practice for Residential Estate Agents · 2019-06-01 · https://www.tpos.co.uk/images/codes-of-practice/TPOE27-8_Code_of_Practice_for_Residential_Estate_Agents_A4_FINAL.pdf
Terms in this article
Plain-English definitions from the ValuQ property glossary.
Redress scheme
A redress scheme is the independent complaints body every UK estate agent must belong to by law, empowered to order compensation.
Agreement in principle (AIP)
An agreement in principle is a lender's conditional indication of how much it would lend you, based on basic details and a credit check.
Memorandum of sale
A memorandum of sale is the agent's document confirming an agreed sale: price, parties, solicitors and any conditions.
Counter-offer
A counter-offer is the seller's reply to an offer with a different figure, keeping the negotiation alive rather than accepting or refusing.
Sole agency
Sole agency is an agreement giving one estate agent the exclusive right to sell your home for a set period.
Commission (percentage fee)
Commission is the estate agent's fee calculated as a percentage of the final sale price, payable when the sale completes.
Under offer
Under offer means the seller has accepted an offer but the sale is not yet legally binding.
Read next
Related insights
How many viewings does it take to sell a house?
My estate agent wants me to extend my contract. Should I?
The new 2.5% deposit scheme: what it means if you're selling
What happens if my estate agent goes out of business?
Is your asking price where it should be?
ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents. Anonymous until you choose. No cold calls.
Get your free anonymous valuationSellers and buyers never pay.