Receiving an offer is the beginning of negotiation, not the end of it, and sellers who understand this stay calmer and achieve better outcomes than those who react emotionally to an initial lowball figure. Ask your agent to present every genuine offer in writing with full details, including price, conditions and proposed settlement date, so you can assess it properly.
Consider the full terms of an offer, not just the headline price, since a slightly lower offer with fewer conditions, a shorter finance clause, or a settlement date that suits your plans can sometimes represent better overall value than a higher offer burdened with contingencies. Weigh the certainty of a clean offer against the potential of a higher but more conditional one.
A counter-offer does not need to be an aggressive rejection, and a measured, well-reasoned response often keeps a genuinely interested buyer engaged rather than causing them to walk away. Your agent can help frame counter-offers in a way that moves the negotiation forward productively rather than creating unnecessary friction.
If you receive multiple offers at a similar time, be transparent with buyers about the situation where appropriate, since this can encourage genuinely interested parties to put forward their best terms rather than leaving room for a gradual, drawn-out negotiation. Queensland practice generally allows sellers to negotiate with multiple parties until a contract is signed.
Stay focused on your actual priorities throughout the negotiation, whether that is maximising price, achieving a particular settlement date, or securing the most certain, least conditional offer available. Being clear about what matters most to you helps your agent negotiate effectively on your behalf rather than guessing at your preferences.
Happy to talk it through — no pressure, no sales pitch.