What is the difference between asking price and selling price?

Asked by: Dr. Timmy Nader Jr.  |  Last update: April 29, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (42 votes)

The asking price is the amount the home is listed for, while the selling price is how much the property actually sells for. These two numbers could be the same, but in most cases they're different.

Can I offer 20% below the asking price?

Typically, a lowball offer is considered to be at least 20% below the asking price. If you're offering 10% below, the property should be in a good condition but may just need some cosmetic work done.

Is 90% of the asking price a good offer?

FYI, 90% of the asking price would be considered low, McGill says.

Do you have to sell if you get asking price?

After all, aren't the buyers giving the sellers exactly what their listing asked for? However, there are currently no U.S. laws that require this. Home sellers are free to reject or counter even a contingency-free, full-price offer, and aren't bound to any terms until they sign a written real estate purchase agreement.

Is asking price a good indicator of selling price?

Asking price is a good indicator of selling price. Data on homes that have sold is more reliable if it is recent. Most often a property fails to sell because of overpricing. Actual sale price of similar homes has an impact on what a home is worth in the current market.

Asking Price vs Selling Price Explained: How to Determine Market Value

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Should I sell at the bid or ask price?

The average investor contends with the bid and ask spread as an implied cost of trading. Most investors and retail traders are "market takers," meaning that they usually will have to sell on the bid (where someone else is willing to buy) and buy at the offer (where someone else is willing to sell).

Will a realtor tell me how much my house is worth?

Consult An Agent For A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

Another good option is to have a real estate agent (who might also be a REALTOR®) help you determine the value of your home. A real estate agent will look at the current housing market and use a comparative market analysis to assess your home's valuation.

Can a seller reject an offer at asking price?

In California, home sellers are not obligated to accept a full-price offer on their home even if the amount is greater than the full asking price.

How do you avoid selling on price?

You must connect your price to the value of your product and how it addresses the customer's particular situation. The best salespeople understand this and maintain focus on keeping the buyer on track to close the sale.

Is asking price negotiable?

An asking price, or listing price, is the amount that a seller lists their home for when they put it up for sale. It's literally what they are asking a buyer to pay. But asking prices are negotiable and are often just a starting point — homes can sell for higher or lower than their asking price.

Can I offer 50k less on a house?

Probably not a good idea to go in with a lowball offer $50,000 below asking price. A whole year on the market, with price reductions? Go ahead and roll the dice. The longer a house has been on the market, the less of an upper hand the seller has in negotiation.”

Is earnest money refundable?

Is Earnest Money Refundable? Earnest money isn't always refundable. The good news for buyers is in most situations, as long as a buyer acts in good faith, earnest money is refundable. As long as any contract agreements are not broken or decision deadlines are met, buyers usually get their earnest money back.

How much is a good offer on a house?

If this is The One, then you will want to make a house offer that is at least near the asking price — perhaps within 5 percent to 10 percent. For most sellers, coming in close to what they want to get and what the market bears for that particular home is considered a good offer.

Is it rude to offer less on a house?

A low offer may be upsetting to the sellers, but if you and your real estate agent present the offer along with an expression of your appreciation for the property, it's more likely to be accepted than a low offer accompanied by a half-complete contract or an insult about the property's condition.

What is a polite way to ask for a lower price?

One possible phrase to use when negotiating a lower price is, “Is there any wiggle room on the price?” This phrase politely asks if the seller is willing to negotiate.

How long should a house be on the market before you reduce the price?

“Once you've been on the market for five weeks or so, you're chasing the market,” says Mike King, an agent with the Partners Trust Realty in Brentwood, CA. If you haven't seen any action in a while, it might be time to take your house off the market, do some touch-ups, and relist.

How do you ask a seller to lower a price?

Top eight phrases to use when negotiating a lower price
  1. All I have in my budget is X.
  2. What would your cash price be?
  3. How far can you come down in price to meet me?
  4. What? or Wow.
  5. Is that the best you can do?
  6. Ill give you X if we can close the deal now.
  7. Ill agree to this price if you.
  8. Your competitor offers.

How should I decide on my selling price?

To set your first price, add up all of the costs involved in bringing your product to market, set your profit margin on top of those expenses, and there you have it. This strategy is called cost-plus pricing, and it's one of the simplest ways to price your product.

How to talk value instead of price?

Value-based selling: 6 ways to sell value rather than price
  1. Think through your product.
  2. Don't lay it on thick too early.
  3. Take note of what industry leaders are doing.
  4. Be an educator, not a salesperson.
  5. Eliminate your buyer's fears.
  6. Highlight the benefits of using the product.

How much lower can you offer than asking price?

It's often reasonable to offer 1 to 4 percent below asking price, but putting in an offer for half (or even 75 percent) of the home's list price is the best way to offend the seller and get your offer thrown in the trash. You may even be able to offer 5 percent below asking price if you're paying with cash.

What to do if seller won't negotiate?

If a seller still refuses to negotiate, it leaves you with three main options:
  1. Accept the house as is.
  2. Re-evaluate your position and take another shot at negotiating.
  3. Walk away from the deal.

Do you have to pay a realtor if you decide not to sell?

Probably not, but read your contract carefully. Real estate agents are typically paid when you sell your home, so if your home doesn't sell, you shouldn't owe them a commission.

How accurate are Zillow estimates?

Accuracy of Zestimates

According to Zillow's website, Zestimate's nationwide median error rate for active listings is 2.4%. 3 For off-market homes, it's now 7.9%. 4 Zestimates are only as accurate as the data behind them.

What are the best numbers to use when selling a house?

What numbers are best for pricing real estate? When it comes to the last digit of your home's listing price, choosing a 7, 8, or 9 can be a solid strategy for a variety of reasons — especially if you can match the numerals in your listing price to where you live.

How do you know if real estate is overpriced?

The Home Is Priced Higher Than Comps In The Area

Typically, comps in a certain area will fall within the same price range. If the house you're thinking of placing an offer on is priced significantly higher than a similar home on the same block or in the larger neighborhood, it could mean the house is overpriced.