Yes, You Should Start Lowballing Offers (Buyers in Control!) (Rookie Reply)

BiggerPockets Blog
Published: November 14, 2025
Getting Started

Summary

This BiggerPockets article discusses the potential for lowball offers in a cooling housing market, offering advice on navigating such offers and also providing advice for new investors partnering to start an STR. Hosts can use this information to inform their real estate investing strategies and understand the risks associated with certain financing options.

Key Insights

  • The 2025 housing market is cooling, which may present opportunities to make lower offers on properties. Properties that have been on the market for an extended period are prime targets.
  • Buying a multifamily home with a friend where one unit is the primary residence and the other is a short-term rental has legal complexities with obtaining financing. A lender will want to know where the down payment is coming from, and gifts of money for the downpayment may be limited to family members.

Action Items

  • If lowballing, do a verbal offer first to save time on contracts. Have an agent who is comfortable with submitting lowball offers, as this is a common strategy in a buyer's market.
    Effort: low
    Impact: medium
  • Shop around and talk to multiple lenders. Explain your financial situation to see what loan products may be available to you.
    Effort: low
    Impact: medium

Tools & Resources

  • BiggerPockets Lender Finder: Go to biggerpockets.com/lender finder to get yourself connected with a lender, especially an investor friendly lender(biggerpockets.com/lender finder)

Common Mistakes

  • Buying a primary residence under an LLC is not allowed.
  • Avoid insulting the seller. This can cause your initial offer to be rejected based on the negative interactions with the seller.

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