Should you offer below asking price?

HALIFAX REAL ESTATE BLOG

2nd Edition | Real Estate Tips

Sunday November 8, 2026

Written by:

Shawn Zupan

REALTOR®

902 880 2162

szupan@pressrealty.ca

Press Realty Inc

233 Bedford Highway

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Should you make an offer below asking price?

If you’d genuinely buy a home at a price below asking, it can be worth making an offer. Start with recent comparable sales, the home’s time on the market, and the other options you’d be happy to buy. That gives you a reason for the number you put forward.

Give the seller something to consider

You could offer $6 and a pack of Nerds Gummy Clusters. I wouldn’t spend much time waiting for a counter. A realistic offer gives the seller something to weigh and can open a conversation even if they want a higher price.

Decide your next move before you submit

Work out how far you could go if the seller counters and which comparable homes support that limit. If you’d rather buy a different home at the higher price, that’s a useful line to draw now. It gives you a reason to hold your number even when you’ve started picturing yourself in the house.

Sources

Zupan Monthly - 22nd & 23rd edition, August & September 2026 "Shawn's Take: It Never Hurts...Much" & "Tip of the Month: Prompt a Response"