How to make an offer on a house (and how much to offer)
By Chris Pollitt · Last checked 6 November 2026 · 3 min read
In England and Wales, offers on homes are made through the estate agent, usually by phone or email, and they aren't legally binding until contracts are exchanged. That makes the process feel informal, but the figure you start with and the way you present yourself make a real difference.
Start with sold prices, not the asking price
The asking price is what the seller and agent hope to get. It might be spot on, ambitious, or deliberately low to attract interest. The best guide to what a home is worth is what similar homes nearby have actually sold for.
Look up the street on MyStreetCheck and note recent sales of the same type of home, ideally within the last year or two. If the house itself has sold before, check what was paid and when. Then adjust for differences: an extra bedroom, a bigger garden, a new kitchen, or a home that needs work. Our guide to reading sold prices explains how to make fair comparisons.
Think about the market
How long has the home been on the market? A listing that's been up for months, or has had a price cut, usually means there's room to negotiate. One that has just gone on in a busy area may attract several offers, and opening low could mean you lose it.
Ask the agent how many viewings there have been and whether there are other offers. They don't have to tell you, but you'll often get a sense of things.
What makes an offer attractive
Price matters most, but sellers also care about how likely the sale is to go through, and how quickly. You'll be in a stronger position if you can show:
- A mortgage agreement in principle and proof of your deposit.
- That you're chain-free, such as a first-time buyer or someone who has already sold.
- That you have a solicitor lined up and can start straight away.
- Some flexibility on timing if the seller needs it.
Putting the offer in
Call or email the agent with your figure and a short summary of your position. Following up in writing gives you a record. The agent must pass every offer to the seller. If the offer is turned down, you can ask what figure would be accepted, then decide whether to go up.
Be careful about bidding against yourself. Increase in sensible steps and set your own limit before you start, based on what the home is worth to you and what similar homes have sold for.
Conditional offers
You can make an offer subject to a survey, a mortgage or something specific, such as the seller fixing a problem. Every offer is effectively subject to survey and contract anyway, but saying so clearly avoids awkwardness later if the survey turns something up.
After your offer is accepted
Ask for the home to be taken off the market, instruct your conveyancer, and submit your mortgage application. Book your survey early. If it finds problems, you can go back to the seller to renegotiate, but have a quote for the work to back up any new figure.
Sadly, until exchange either side can pull out. Gazumping, where a seller accepts a higher offer after agreeing to yours, is rare but legal. Moving quickly and keeping in touch with the agent is the best protection. See our guide to gazumping and gazundering.