Dangerous Question (No. 3): "Do you think your seller would entertain a low offer?"
Updated: Jul 28
"I showed your listing today; It's out of my client's price range but not by that much. I don't want to waste everyone's time, but do you think your seller would entertain a low offer?"
Most seller agents jump at this question because they are eager to bring in an offer. They often believe they are helping their seller or themselves by proving the property is overpriced and doesn't warrant a full-price offer.
Why This Question Is Dangerous
The Fiduciary Slip: Your duty is to the seller's bottom line. Speculating on their bottom line to a third party is a breach of that trust.
Negotiating Against Yourself: Giving a verbal "maybe" or an implication to proceed gives the buyer the green light to come in even lower than they originally planned.
The Guessing Game: You cannot know what a seller will do until an offer is in front of them. Circumstances change hourly in this business.
The best way to handle this isn't to be clever; it's to be professional and firm. You don't need to guess for them. Here's how to answer without compromising your position:
"The law requires me to bring them all written offers. Until we see the terms on paper, I can't tell you how they’ll react. If your client is interested, it's up to you to put it in writing. Once you do that, let me know and let’s see where it goes."This answers the question without giving away confidential information and protects your client's position. It forces the buyer’s agent to do their job and write the offer instead of trying to get you to do it for them.
Don't let a quick probative phone call turn into a price reduction you weren't authorized to give. Mastery isn't about having all the answers; it's about knowing which questions shouldn't be answered over the phone.
The danger of this question is the silence that follows if you don't have a prepared answer. It is a siren song designed to make you blink. When you answer with anything other than a referral to a written contract, you aren't being "helpful" because you are violating your fiduciary duty.
If they’re serious enough to ask, they should be serious enough to sign.
Until next time,
Jeff.
Championing the Human Parts of Real Estate Since 1979™
About the Author: I am a self-retired real estate professional with a career spanning 47 years. Throughout decades of market changes, I remained dedicated to the idea that real estate is about more than square footage—it’s about the human element. Today, I write about the lessons learned from a lifetime of helping people find the place that truly feels like home, hoping that sharing these insights will help the next generation of agents better serve their clients and find fulfillment in their own careers.
(C) 2026 Jeff Sorg
Comments