When to Offer the Asking Price
Some buyers assume that negotiation is always expected, but this isn’t the case for every property. If there’s strong interest—sometimes even just one other buyer viewing at the same time—sellers may hold out for the full asking price. Remember, in France you cannot offer above the listed price, so if your agent tells you there have been many visits or a high level of interest, you may want to consider offering the asking price straight away to avoid losing your dream home.
How to Make Your Offer Stand Out
Of course, someone else might submit an asking-price offer at the same time. This is why it’s essential to include your conditions—financial and otherwise—within your offer. For example: Do you have cash ready, or must you sell a property or obtain a mortgage first? Are you hoping for a quick completion, or can you be flexible to allow the seller more time? Avoid adding too many non-negotiable conditions (such as insisting certain furniture is included or requiring works to be completed). Sellers will naturally choose the buyer who seems the most straightforward.
Making a Lower Offer
If you’re considering making a lower offer, the same principles apply. Let your agent guide you based on any previous offers the seller has refused, how “insulted” they might feel by a reduced offer, and whether they are generally open to negotiation.
Submitting Your Offer
It’s always best to discuss your offer with your agent before putting anything in writing (usually by email), as agents are legally obliged to forward every offer to the vendor. There’s no benefit in antagonising the seller—extremely low offers with the intention of gradually increasing can backfire, as some vendors become offended or simply refuse to engage in a bidding process. It makes for a tense and unnecessarily difficult sale!
What Happens After Acceptance?
Once your offer is accepted, you’ll move on to signing an Offre d’Achat which means the sellers cannot accept a higher offer, within a given time limit, and gives you time to get the first contract signed with the notaire.
