In theory, yes — a buyer can make any offer. In reality, though, low or unrealistic offers almost never happen, and when they do, they rarely go anywhere. Here’s why:
1. Buyers are guided before they even offer
Serious buyers don’t walk in blind. Estate agents usually brief them on recent comparable sales, market conditions, and what the seller is realistically expecting. By the time they consider putting pen to paper, they already know what range is likely to be taken seriously.
2. Fear of losing the property
In competitive areas (especially secure estates or boomed areas), buyers are cautious. If they like a property, they won’t risk insulting the seller with a low offer — because someone else might step in with a stronger one.
3. Emotional decision-making
Buying a home is not purely logical. Once a buyer can picture themselves living there, they tend to offer closer to asking price to “secure it” rather than gamble on a lowball.
4. Pre-approval and affordability constraints
With bond approvals (often through institutions like ooba Home Loans), buyers already know what they qualify for. Their offers are usually aligned with both their budget and bank valuation expectations.
5. Agents filter unrealistic offers
A good agent won’t encourage a buyer to submit an offer that has no chance — it wastes time and can damage credibility in negotiations. Instead, they guide buyers toward strategic, justifiable offers.
6. Market transparency
With access to online property portals like Property24 and Private Property, buyers can easily compare listings and sold prices. This transparency keeps offers within a realistic range.
7. Overpricing kills visibility before interest even starts
This is the part many sellers miss: if your property is priced above market value, buyers don’t even get to the point of making an offer — they simply never engage.
Online platforms filter properties by price range. If you price above where your home should sit, you fall outside of the buyer’s search bracket. That means:
Your listing doesn’t appear in their search results
It doesn’t get clicked on
It doesn’t get viewed or shortlisted
And if a buyer does see it while browsing, they compare it to better-priced options and immediately move on.
The reality: buyers don’t submit low offers on overpriced homes — they ignore them completely.
The bottom line:
Yes, a buyer can make any offer — but serious buyers rarely do. And if your property is overpriced, they won’t even see it, let alone make an offer.
