If you’re selling your home, there’s nothing quite like the gut punch of low-ball offers in London Ontario. You’ve priced your property carefully, it’s beautifully presented, and then—wham!—someone tosses out a number that feels like an insult.
Here’s the thing: low-ball offers happen, especially in a buyer’s market. They can be frustrating, but they don’t have to be deal-breakers. With the right strategy (and the right Realtor), a low offer can become the start of a real negotiation, not the end of it.
What Exactly Is a Low-Ball Offer?
Pretty much what it sounds like: an offer significantly below your asking price, typically 10% to 20% lower, or more.
Why do buyers do it?
They want a deal.
They’re testing your flexibility.
They simply want to see if they can get lucky.
Low-ball offers often come with “sweeteners” to make them look more appealing:
Cash offers for a quick close.
Fewer conditions (waiving inspections or appraisals).
Repair requests or credits to justify their price.
From a buyer’s perspective, it’s just strategy, or in 90% of the time, false perceptions! For a seller, it feels personal. But it doesn’t have to be.
A Real-World Example
You list your home for $800,000—priced right for the market, in great condition, desirable neighbourhood. Then someone offers $700,000.
Why would they do that?
Market conditions give them the confidence to push.
They see (or invent) flaws to justify a discount.
They’re hoping to “meet in the middle.”
They love the house but simply can’t afford the full ask.
The Realtor Factor
Here’s what most sellers don’t realize: In many deals, it’s not the buyer or the seller who derails negotiations. It’s the Realtors.
Every offer gets filtered through two people: the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent. If one of them lacks skill—or lets ego take over—the deal can implode before it has a chance.
A skilled negotiator knows how to:
Read the other agent’s style without getting rattled.
Keep communication productive, not personal.
Turn a bad offer into a constructive conversation.
This is not the picture your Realtor uses on her Facebook pages
Unfortunately, not all Realtors are skilled negotiators. In fact, I’d say most aren’t.
The Five Realtor Types (and How They Can Sabotage a Deal):
The Ghost – Disappears when it’s time to talk numbers.
The Bulldog – Pushy, combative, and thinks “winning” is the point.
The Rookie – Nervous, inconsistent, and overly reliant on scripts.
The Bluffer – Creates false urgency, bends the truth.
The Performer – Loves the drama more than the deal.
After selling hundreds of homes in London and the area, I’ve seen them all. Most low-ball offers in London Ontario and anywhere come from agents who haven’t done their homework—or believe they’re “King Sh*t” because low-balling worked once before.
Try educating them with real data and comparable sales, and you often get dismissed. Ego trumps facts.
And here’s the reality: no amount of staging, marketing, or drone videos can save you if your Realtor can’t negotiate.
How Sellers Can Protect Themselves
Expect low-ball offers—they’re part of the game.
Don’t take it personally—the first offer is rarely the last.
Hire a Realtor who understands negotiation theory, not just sales tactics.
Numbers don’t lie. But how those numbers are presented—and defended—makes all the difference in whether you sell for a price you’re happy with.
Thinking About Selling Your Home in London, Ontario?
If you want more than just a sign on the lawn—and you want someone who can actually handle the messy part of real estate (negotiations)—let’s talk.