"46erjoe" wrote in message
...
All things being equal, how much should a prospective home buyer offer
to a home seller. If I go too far below the asking price, I could
insult the seller and he won't want to deal with me again. If I go too
near the seller's asking price, I stant to lose a lot of money. Any
general rule of thumb?

1% less, 5% 10% ?????

It all depneds on how long the house has been on the market. I had one on
the market for a long time and it was listed over the tax value. I took
about 10 % less than the asking price but it was about the tax value . I
also bought a house that had been on the market for about a year. I offered
10 % less than the asking price. It was already listed just under the tax
value. They did not take it. About 2 months later I offered about 5 % less
and they took it. If the housing market if really selling the house may not
stay on the market a month. Then you might as well offer 5 % less and be
ready to go the full ammount if that is not accepted.

If you don't know it, the tax value is public record and you should be able
to get it.

Is this a privite sell or through an agent ? If through an agent then you
don't have to worry about insulting the seller.