Brought to you by Scott P. Rogers, Funkhouser Real Estate Group, 540-578-0102, scott@HarrisonburgHousingToday.com
Brought to you by Scott P. Rogers, Funkhouser Real Estate Group, 540-578-0102, scott@HarrisonburgHousingToday.com
Friday, October 16, 2026
We’ve been looking at houses for a few weeks now, and today we found one you really like. It’s priced at $425K... but based on what we’ve seen, you think it’s worth closer to $410K and/or you're only comfortable paying $410K.
Some buyers will likely conclude that the seller won't be willing to negotiate down to $410K... and they won't make the offer.
I recommend that you make the offer.
Don’t Negotiate on the Seller's Behalf
It’s true that plenty of sellers in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County aren’t willing to negotiate much on their list price. Some have priced their home carefully and are confident they will sell at or near that number. Others simply don’t need to sell quickly and are willing to wait longer to try to sell at a higher price.
But, typically, we don’t actually know which kind of seller we're dealing with until you make an offer.
Make the Offer. Let Them Respond.
The seller might accept your offer. They might counter somewhere in the middle. They might hold firm at their list price.
Any of those responses is fine! And in each case, we'll know more than you did before.
This is especially relevant right now. As inventory has risen in our area this fall, some homes are sitting on the market longer than their sellers expected. A seller whose home has been listed for 60 or 90 days may be more open to a reasonable offer than they would have been in the first week.
Reasonable Is Still Key
This doesn’t mean every offer should be drastically below the list price. An offer that seems completely disconnected from a home’s value can cause a seller to not respond at all.
Your offer should be one for which we can create a context... based on recent sales, the home’s condition, or how long it has been on the market.
And If They Say No?
If a seller simply rejects your offer, or does not respond, we can talk about whether you want to make a stronger offer, wait some amount of time before then making an offer, or keep looking at other options.
But at least we will have asked, via an offer, rather than wondering later whether you could have saved $10,000 or $15,000.
If you’re starting your home search and want to talk through how to approach offers in today’s market, I’m happy to help.
Some buyers will likely conclude that the seller won't be willing to negotiate down to $410K... and they won't make the offer.
I recommend that you make the offer.
Don’t Negotiate on the Seller's Behalf
It’s true that plenty of sellers in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County aren’t willing to negotiate much on their list price. Some have priced their home carefully and are confident they will sell at or near that number. Others simply don’t need to sell quickly and are willing to wait longer to try to sell at a higher price.
But, typically, we don’t actually know which kind of seller we're dealing with until you make an offer.
Make the Offer. Let Them Respond.
The seller might accept your offer. They might counter somewhere in the middle. They might hold firm at their list price.
Any of those responses is fine! And in each case, we'll know more than you did before.
This is especially relevant right now. As inventory has risen in our area this fall, some homes are sitting on the market longer than their sellers expected. A seller whose home has been listed for 60 or 90 days may be more open to a reasonable offer than they would have been in the first week.
Reasonable Is Still Key
This doesn’t mean every offer should be drastically below the list price. An offer that seems completely disconnected from a home’s value can cause a seller to not respond at all.
Your offer should be one for which we can create a context... based on recent sales, the home’s condition, or how long it has been on the market.
And If They Say No?
If a seller simply rejects your offer, or does not respond, we can talk about whether you want to make a stronger offer, wait some amount of time before then making an offer, or keep looking at other options.
But at least we will have asked, via an offer, rather than wondering later whether you could have saved $10,000 or $15,000.
If you’re starting your home search and want to talk through how to approach offers in today’s market, I’m happy to help.
