Don't fall victim to First Offer Syndrome!

The First Offer Isn’t Always the Worst — It’s Often the Best

When it comes to selling, every genuine vendor has two top priorities: sell in a reasonable time frame, and get the best possible price. What many owners don’t realise is — these two goals are actually the same thing.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is hesitation around those early offers. There’s a common assumption that if Buyer #1 is willing to pay $X in week one, Buyer #2 will surely pay $X-plus next week. But that’s not how the market works.

Your property will attract the most attention the moment it hits the market. That’s when all the serious, pre-qualified buyers — the ones who’ve been actively looking and know exactly what their money can buy — jump on new listings. These buyers bring energy, urgency, and most importantly, competition. And it’s competition that drives the strongest offers.

Leave your home on the market too long, and that competition dries up and people start to wonder what may be wrong with the property. The early buzz fades. Buyers start thinking, "It’s been up for a while — maybe the price will drop." That shift gives them the upper hand, and suddenly you're fielding lower offers from buyers who think time is on their side.

Properties go stale once the serious buyers have already looked. The ones who come in later are still figuring things out — they’re not ready to jump, and certainly not ready to pay top dollar.

Bottom line? Holding out for a higher number later often leads to accepting a lower one down the track. The early offer might feel like it’s “too soon,” but in many cases, it’s the best you’ll see.

If you want the best price, you need to be ready to move when the market’s at its most responsive — and that’s right at the beginning.