How to Make an Offer on a House UK: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making an offer is not just a number — it is a negotiation. The right preparation before you make an offer, and the right approach when you do, can save thousands of pounds and give you a real edge in a competitive market.

Step 1: Research Before You Offer

Never make an offer based on the asking price alone. Asking prices are aspirational. Sold prices are evidence.

Rightmove and Zoopla sold prices: Both sites show sold prices for properties in the area, with photos, floor plans, and dates. Filter for the same street or postcode to find true local comparables. Rightmove sold prices and Zoopla estimates are freely available.

HM Land Registry: The Land Registry publishes every registered property transaction. Use the Price Paid Data tool to find exact sold prices by address. This is the most accurate source because it reflects what was actually paid, not the asking price.

Time on market: Check how long the property has been listed. A property that has been on the market for 3 months without selling suggests the asking price is too high, or there are issues. Rightmove shows the listing date; Zoopla shows the full history including price reductions.

Previous asking price history: Zoopla shows every price change the listing has had. A property reduced from £380,000 to £360,000 signals a motivated seller and room to negotiate.

Step 2: Assess the Property's True Value

Comparable sold prices give you the baseline. Adjust for differences:

Price per square foot: Calculate the price per sq ft of recent comparables in the same area. Then apply that to the subject property. Variations in condition, EPC rating, garden size, parking, and floor (for flats) all justify adjustments.

RICS-registered surveyors use this approach professionally. You can approximate it with Rightmove floor plans (which show sq footage on most listings) and sold price data.

Factor	Positive adjustment	Negative adjustment
EPC A or B vs D or E	+1–3%	−1–3%
Private garden vs none	+2–5%	—
Parking (off-street)	+2–4%	—
Top floor (flat, no lift)	—	−3–5%
Ground floor (flat)	—	−5–8%
Needs full renovation	—	−10–20%

These are approximate. Local knowledge from agents and RICS data are more reliable. Source: RICS — Red Book Valuation Standards

Step 3: What to Include When Making an Offer

Do not just state a number. Your offer should communicate your position and why you are a strong buyer:

Your position: First-time buyer, chain-free, or current property already under offer
Mortgage: Agreement in principle issued by [lender], formal application ready to submit
Solicitor: Instructed and ready to proceed
Survey: Prepared to book within [X] days of acceptance
Timescale: How quickly you can exchange and complete

A first-time buyer with a mortgage in principle and a solicitor already instructed is worth more to a vendor than a higher offer from someone still looking for a solicitor. Many sellers prioritise certainty over maximum price.

Verbal vs written offers: In England, offers are made verbally to the estate agent, who passes them to the seller. Neither verbal nor written offers are legally binding — the transaction only becomes binding at exchange of contracts. However, a written offer submitted via email creates a record and signals seriousness.

Step 4: Negotiating Tactics

Open below asking price. If comparables support a lower valuation, open below asking and provide evidence: comparable sales, time on market, condition of the property, items identified in a pre-offer walk-around.

Use data, not emotion. "I think it's overpriced" is weak. "Comparable properties on this street sold at £X per sq ft last quarter; adjusted for condition, £Y is fair" is strong.

Escalation. If the seller counters, you do not have to jump straight to asking price. Incremental offers (£280,000 → £285,000 → £288,000) keep the conversation going and preserve headroom.

Survey findings as leverage. After a survey identifies defects, you can legitimately renegotiate. A level 2 survey finding £8,000 of roofing work is a reasonable basis for reducing the agreed price by £5,000–£8,000.

The estate agent works for the seller. Under the Estate Agents Act 1979, the agent has a duty to the vendor, not to you. They are required to pass on all offers. They are not required to tell you about other interested parties or advise you on whether to offer more.

Gazumping: What It Is and How to Protect Yourself

Gazumping occurs when a seller accepts a higher offer from a third party after already agreeing (verbally) to sell to you. It is legal in England before exchange.

How to protect yourself:

Instruct your solicitor immediately after offer acceptance. Delays in conveyancing give time for another buyer to appear.
Book your survey immediately. A survey booked and underway signals commitment to both agent and vendor.
Request exclusivity. Ask the agent to take the property off the market. Some sellers will agree, especially if you can demonstrate speed.
Lock-in agreement. A formal agreement where both parties agree not to withdraw without paying a penalty. Not standard, but possible and increasingly used.
Build a relationship with the agent. Regular, positive contact helps. Agents want smooth transactions. If they trust you to proceed, they are less likely to encourage other viewings.

Sealed Bids and Best and Final Offers

In a competitive market, agents sometimes call for sealed bids (best and final offers submitted in writing by a deadline). This is designed to find the highest offer in one round.

How to approach sealed bids:

Do your research first. You cannot negotiate after submitting. Your research must be done before the deadline.
Choose an odd number. If comparables support £310,000, bid £311,500. Many bids cluster at round numbers.
Include your position statement. A clean, chain-free buyer at a slightly lower price often beats a higher offer from a complicated chain.
Exclude chattels to reduce SDLT. You can separate the purchase price of fixtures and fittings — if the vendor is willing, it reduces the SDLT-paying purchase price. Keep this proportionate and documented.
Set your ceiling. Decide your maximum before you open the envelope. Do not exceed it on emotion.

What Happens After Acceptance

Once an offer is accepted:

Instruct your solicitor immediately — not "shortly"
Book your survey — level 2 for standard properties, level 3 for older, larger, or problem properties
Submit your formal mortgage application — your lender will instruct their own valuation
Respond to all solicitor requests promptly — delays in providing ID, source of funds, and responses to enquiries are the most common cause of slow conveyancing

The vendor's solicitor will send draft contracts. Your solicitor raises enquiries. Searches are ordered. This typically takes 8–16 weeks.

Key Sources

Offers in England and Northern Ireland are not legally binding until exchange of contracts. All negotiations are subject to contract and survey.