What's a reasonable offer below asking price?

In a balanced market, 3–5% below list is a normal opening. In slower markets or on listings with 45+ days on market, 5–10% below is defensible when backed by comps. In hot markets, anything below list usually loses — the winning move is a full-price offer with strong terms, not a discount.

How much do sellers drop the price after 30 days?

The first price cut is usually 2–5% and typically lands between day 21 and day 45. If a listing has already been reduced once, sellers are much more likely to accept another 2–4% off in negotiation — the psychological anchor has already shifted.

Do sellers accept offers below their list price?

Yes, most of the time — the national sale-to-list ratio has hovered between 96% and 100% for the last decade. The exceptions are hot micro-markets where the sale-to-list ratio runs above 100% because bidding wars push final prices over asking.

How do I know if a seller will come down?

Look at four signals together: (1) days on market vs. the local median, (2) whether the listing has already had a price cut, (3) the sale-to-list ratio for comparable recent closings in the neighborhood, and (4) local months of supply. When 3 or 4 of those point to buyer leverage, expect a real negotiation.

Should I offer 10% below asking price?

Only when the data supports it — 60+ days on market, at least one prior price cut, comps that close 5–8% under list, and 4+ months of supply. A 10%-under offer without that evidence usually gets ignored or countered near list, wasting a negotiating turn.

How much room do sellers build into the list price?

Most sellers price 2–5% above what they'd accept, giving room for a standard negotiation. Aspirational or overpriced listings can carry 8–15% of built-in cushion — those are the listings that sit, cut, and eventually sell well under list.

What's the biggest lever for getting a seller to come down?

Time on market is the single strongest predictor. Every additional week past the local median days on market meaningfully increases the seller's willingness to negotiate. Cash offers, waived contingencies, and flexible closing dates also help — but nothing moves the needle like a listing that has been sitting.

2026 buyer negotiation guide

How much do sellers usually come down on a house?

Q: How much do sellers usually come down on a house?

Nationally, homes sell for about 96–99% of the last list price, so most successful negotiations land in a 1–4% discount range. The number widens quickly with days on market: homes sitting 60+ days routinely close 3–8% below list, and stale listings past 90 days can accept 8–12% or more when inventory is loose.

Most homes sell for 96–99% of the last list price, so a typical negotiation shaves 1–4% off. The real answer depends on how long the home has been sitting, whether the price has already been cut, and how much inventory is competing. Here's how to calibrate your offer.

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Short answer

The 1-minute version

Sellers usually come down 1–4% from their last list price. That range widens fast the longer a home sits: past 60 days on market, 3–8% is normal, and stale listings past 90 days can accept 8–12%+ when inventory is loose. Days on market, prior price cuts, and local months of supply drive most of the variance.

Reasonable-offer chart

How much sellers come down, by days on market

National baselines from the mid-2020s. Use as a starting point, then calibrate to local comps.

Days on market	Typical accepted discount	What it means
0–14 days	0–1% (often over list)	Peak seller leverage. Expect competing offers.
15–30 days	1–3%	First-round negotiation window. No price cut yet.
31–60 days	3–6%	First price cut typical. Seller is testing the market.
61–90 days	5–8%	Real buyer leverage. Second cut common.
90+ days	8–12%+	Stale listing. Seller motivation is usually high.

"Discount" = final sale price vs. last list price, not original list.

What actually moves the number

Six factors that determine how much a seller will drop

Days on market vs. local median

The single strongest predictor. A home 2× the local median DOM typically closes 3–6% below list. Past 90 days, discounts of 8–12% become common.

Price cut history

A listing that has already been reduced once is 3× more likely to accept another cut. The seller's mental anchor has already moved — capitalize on it.

Local inventory (months of supply)

Under 3 months = seller's market, minimal negotiation. 4–6 months = balanced, expect 2–4% off. 6+ months = buyer's market, 5–10% is realistic.

Sale-to-list ratio on comps

Pull the last 6 closed comps and average their final price ÷ last list price. That ratio is a floor for what the seller will accept on your target.

Seller motivation signals

Estate sales, relocations, contingent purchases, and vacant homes all correlate with larger accepted discounts. Ask the listing agent directly.

Condition & competition

Homes with obvious deferred maintenance or that show poorly move 4–7% off list. Fresh, staged listings in strong areas move at or above list.

Calibrate with real signals

Turn sale-to-list data into a defensible offer

1. Pull the local sale-to-list ratio

OfferEdge surfaces the average final-price ÷ last-list-price ratio for recent closings around your target home. That single number tells you what sellers in that submarket are actually accepting — not what buyers hope for.

2. Compare DOM against the local median

A home 30 days over the local median DOM is a very different negotiation than one 5 days in. OfferEdge scores that gap and translates it into a win-probability lift for below-list offers.

3. Model three offer prices, not one

Instead of guessing at "10% below asking," get a conservative, balanced, and aggressive offer with the projected acceptance odds for each — grounded in comps, DOM, and price-cut history.

FAQ

How much sellers come down — common questions

Keep reading

Everything else you need to price, present, and win the offer.

How much do sellers usually come down on a house?

The 1-minute version

How much sellers come down, by days on market

Six factors that determine how much a seller will drop

Days on market vs. local median

Price cut history

Local inventory (months of supply)

Sale-to-list ratio on comps

Seller motivation signals

Condition & competition

Turn sale-to-list data into a defensible offer

How much sellers come down — common questions

How much to offer on a house

How to make an offer on a house

Comparative market analysis (CMA)

How to get a CMA

Appraisal gap coverage

Real estate escalation clause

Real estate contingencies

Earnest money deposit

Offer letter to seller

Bidding war strategy

Zillow vs Redfin vs OfferEdge

Zillow Offer Insights vs OfferEdge

HouseCanary vs OfferEdge

OfferEdge features

Agent pricing

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How much do sellers usually come down on a house?

The 1-minute version

How much sellers come down, by days on market

Six factors that determine how much a seller will drop

Days on market vs. local median

Price cut history

Local inventory (months of supply)

Sale-to-list ratio on comps

Seller motivation signals

Condition & competition

Turn sale-to-list data into a defensible offer

How much sellers come down — common questions