The "Insult" Offer: Why You Should Never Ignore a Lowball Bid

By Adam Martin Team Lead, Loxley Martin | Top-Rated Dayton & Greene County Realtor


It takes your breath away—and not in a good way.

You listed your home for $350,000. It’s perfect. The lawn is manicured, the kitchen is staged, and you are proud of it. Then, on Friday night, an offer comes in. You open the email, expecting to see a number close to your asking price. The Offer: $295,000.

Your immediate reaction? Anger. "Are they kidding? Do they think I'm desperate? Adam, tell them to take a hike. I'm not even responding to this."

I see this reaction constantly. Sellers feel personally offended when a buyer devalues their home. But here is the hard truth about the Dayton market: Ignoring a lowball offer is often a mistake.

While you have every right to be annoyed, "ghosting" a buyer is bad business. That low number isn't usually an insult; it’s an invitation to dance.

Here is why you should always counter, and how we turn a "joke" offer into a closed deal.

1. The "Testing the Waters" Buyer

Most lowball offers aren't from people who can't afford your house. They are from people who are terrified of overpaying. In a market where interest rates are hovering around 6-7%, buyers are looking for any win they can get.

• The Mindset: They think, "Let's throw out $295k and see if they bite. If they are desperate, we save $55k. If they aren't, they'll counter us."
  
  
• The Mistake: If you don't respond, you confirm their suspicion that you are difficult to work with. If you respond with a polite but firm counter, you signal: "I'm not desperate, but I am open to business."
  
  

2. The "Stiff Arm" Counter Strategy

So, how do we respond to $295,000 without looking weak? We use what I call the "Stiff Arm."

If they come in $55,000 low, we do not meet them in the middle. Meeting in the middle tells them their lowball worked. Instead, we come down a tiny amount—maybe $1,000 or $2,500.

• List Price: $350,000
  
  
• Their Offer: $295,000
  
  
• Our Counter: $349,000
  
  

What this says: "We acknowledge your offer, but your value is way off. We know what our home is worth. Come back when you are serious." In my experience, 50% of lowballers will immediately jump up to a realistic number (like $340k) once they realize you aren't playing games.

3. Price Isn't the Only Lever

Sometimes, a buyer genuinely can't go higher than a certain number. If they are stuck at $330,000, we might be able to make the deal work by adjusting the terms instead of the price.

• Closing Costs: Maybe they pay their own closing costs instead of asking you for a concession.
  
  
• Possession: Maybe they let you live in the home rent-free for 30 days after closing (a Rent-Back), saving you the cost of a double move.
  
  
• Repairs: We can accept the lower price if they agree to buy the home "As Is" and waive all repair requests.
  
  

4. When to Actually Ignore Them

Is there ever a time to ignore an offer? Yes. If the offer is 50% of your asking price or comes from an investor who is clearly just blasting out spam offers to every house in Greene County, we can ignore it. But if it is a real family represented by a real local agent, we owe it to ourselves to send a counter.

Adam’s Rule: You can't negotiate with a ghost. You can negotiate with a lowballer.

The Bottom Line

Afraid of Giving Away the Farm?

Negotiation is an art, not a fight. I have a specific "Counter-Offer Script" that I use to bring low buyers up without chasing them away.

👉 See the strategy. Send me a message or DM "COUNTER" and I’ll explain how we hold the line on price.

Adam MartinTeam Lead, Loxley MartinYour Dayton & Greene County Real Estate Expert