The strongest offers are not just the highest price. They are clean, credible and easy for the seller to say yes to. Price, terms, deposit, settlement, conditions and how you present yourself all matter. Here is how good agents actually assess offers.
How do I put in a written offer?
In Queensland an offer becomes real when it is in writing, on a signed contract, with a deposit specified. Verbal offers are useful for testing interest but they do not bind either side. You can:
- Ask the agent to prepare a contract with your terms. - Give the agent your terms and let them draft it for the vendor to counter. - Submit through the online offer form at /offer.
What do agents look at when they present your offer?
When I sit down with a vendor to present offers, we look at six things in order:
1. Price 2. Deposit (amount and when it clears) 3. Finance clause (unconditional, or how long) 4. Building and pest clause (how long) 5. Settlement length 6. Any special conditions (subject to sale, subject to lease, etc.)
A slightly lower price with cleaner terms often beats a higher price with a long list of conditions.
What makes an offer stronger without going higher?
- Larger deposit (10% instead of 5%). - Shorter finance clause (10 days instead of 21). - Shorter building and pest clause (7 days instead of 14). - Cash offer (rare but powerful). - Flexible settlement to suit the vendor. - No 'subject to sale' condition.
If you cannot compete on price, compete on terms.
Should I go in low, high, or straight to my best?
Depends on competition and how long the property has been on the market.
Fresh listing, multiple buyers
Lead with a strong offer close to your ceiling. You may only get one chance. Underbidding wastes the shot.
Been on market 6+ weeks, no competition
Open lower, sometimes 5 to 10% below the guide. Leave room to move up in negotiation.
Multiple offer situations
The agent may ask for your 'best and final'. Take it seriously. Assume everyone else is also being asked and go to your genuine ceiling.
What are the common mistakes buyers make?
- Offering low on a hot property to 'see what happens'. You often lose the property to someone quicker. - Piling on conditions the vendor cannot easily accept. - Not confirming finance capacity before offering. - Withdrawing after acceptance because they got cold feet, then repeating the same on the next property. - Waiving cooling off to look competitive without doing the pre-work. See Cooling-off periods in Queensland.
What does the agent legally have to do with my offer?
Under the Property Occupations Act the agent must present every genuine written offer to the vendor as soon as practicable, unless the vendor has instructed them in writing not to present offers below a certain price. If you have submitted in writing, ask the agent to confirm when it will be presented and by when you will get a response.
What if my offer is rejected?
Ask the agent what the vendor would accept. Sometimes there is a $10,000 gap you can close. Sometimes the vendor wants terms rather than price. Sometimes another offer beat you and you simply missed out. Learn from it, calibrate, and move to the next property.
You can submit an offer anytime through /offer, and if you want a sense of what listing terms like 'offers over' really mean, see What do 'under contract', 'offers over' and 'expressions of interest' mean?.
What should you do next?
Have a look at what is currently for sale on Brisbane's south side over on /properties, or send me a buying question and I will give you a straight answer.
If you will be selling a home to buy your next one, find out what yours is worth with a free, no-obligation appraisal. That number is often the missing piece that turns a wish list into a real plan.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to have a proper look at the market?
Browse current listings, or ask Junaid a buying question and get a straight answer from someone who works the south side every day.
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