How much below asking price should I offer in the UK?

There is no fixed number — it depends on the property and the market. A common opening move is a little below asking, but the right figure comes from what similar nearby homes have actually sold for recently, how long this one has been on the market, whether the price has been cut, and what condition it is in. Base the offer on that evidence, not on a blanket percentage.

Is it rude to offer below the asking price?

No — it is normal in the UK. The asking price is the seller's hope, not a fixed value. A below-asking offer backed by reasons — comparable sold prices, condition, time on the market — reads as serious. An unexplained lowball is what gets dismissed.

Should I ever offer over the asking price?

Only in genuine competition, and with care. If you offer well above what the evidence supports, the lender's surveyor may value the home lower (a down valuation) and your mortgage won't cover the gap. Strengthen your position — chain-free, ready to proceed, a clean timeline — rather than just throwing money at it.

How Much Should You Offer on a House? (UK Guide)

Q: How do I know the asking price is realistic?

Compare it to recent sold prices for similar nearby homes — not to other current listings, which are also just asking prices. DeedSight can help you review comparable sold prices, where available, alongside the asking price. Coverage varies by property, so check the evidence and any limitations before setting your offer.

There's no single right answer — but there is a right method. The number you offer should come from what similar homes have actually sold for, not from a blanket "offer 10% under" rule or from the asking price itself.

The short answer

You'll see rules of thumb quoted everywhere — open a little below asking, expect to settle a few percent under. They're a starting point, not an answer. The right figure depends entirely on the property and how hot or slow the local market is. Treat the rule of thumb as a sanity check, then do the real work below.

Why a rule of thumb isn't enough

A blanket "offer 10% under" can leave money on the table on a keenly-priced home — or get you a down valuation (where the lender values the home below your offer) on an over-priced one. The asking price is the seller's hope, not evidence. Your offer should be built from what similar homes have actually sold for. More on down valuations →

What actually decides your offer

Comparable sold prices — the anchor. What did genuinely similar nearby homes (same type, beds, rough size, condition) actually sell for recently? HM Land Registry records every completed sale.
Time on the market — a home sitting unsold for months usually means room to negotiate.
Price-reduction history — repeated cuts suggest it was over-priced to begin with.
Condition vs the comparables — work needed (kitchen, boiler, roof) justifies a lower offer.
Local demand — a hot market shrinks your room to negotiate; a slow one widens it.
Your position — being chain-free, a cash buyer, or ready to proceed quickly lets you offer a touch lower and still win.

How to set an evidence-backed offer

Pull recent sold prices for the street and area (HM Land Registry).
Adjust for size, condition and layout differences versus those sales.
Sanity-check against time on the market and any price cuts.
Land on a figure a surveyor could defend with the same comparables — so you don't get down-valued.
Explain your offer to the agent with those reasons — a reasoned offer reads as serious, not as a lowball.

How to make a low offer without offending the seller

Give your reasons — comparable sales, condition, time on the market. Sellers and agents take a justified offer seriously; an unexplained lowball gets dismissed out of hand.

The shortcut

DeedSight can help you review comparable sold prices, where available, alongside the asking price. Coverage varies by property, so check the evidence and any limitations before setting your offer. It is free to start: five scans a month, no card needed.

It won't tell you a single "offer exactly £X" — that's your call, based on your position and the market. What it gives you is the evidence to make that call with confidence. Paid plans go a step further and let you test a specific offer and see the monthly cashflow it implies.