Finding a starting offer
Deciding what to offer on a house involves balancing the list price against how similar homes have actually sold, how long the home has sat on the market, and whether buyers or sellers currently have the upper hand locally.
How this calculator works
The calculator starts from the list price adjusted by the average sale-to-list ratio of comparable recent sales in the area, then nudges that figure up or down based on the selected market type (seller’s, balanced, or buyer’s market) and how many days the home has been listed. A longer time on market or a buyer’s market typically supports a lower offer, while a hot seller’s market or a very fresh listing supports offering closer to (or above) the adjusted baseline.
This tool gives a general educational starting point only, not a guaranteed winning bid. Always work with a local real estate agent who can review actual comparable sales, inspection findings, and negotiation strategy before submitting a real offer.