How to Make an Offer on a House
Get a free property report with optimised comparables and a valuation range to help you decide how much to offer on a house.
Use HomeScoper before you speak to the estate agent. Enter the postcode, select the address and get a free property report with optimised comparables, a valuation range, sold price history, EPC details, property age and buyer red flags before deciding how much to offer on a house.
How it works
- Enter the property's postcode into the search box.
- Select the address to open the property report.
- Review the valuation range, optimised comparables, sold price history, EPC details, property age and buyer red flags before deciding how much to offer.
Why use HomeScoper before making an offer
HomeScoper is a useful tool to use before making an offer because it brings the main pricing evidence into one free property report: a valuation range, optimised sold price comparables, sale history, EPC details, property age and buyer red flags.
Use it before calling the estate agent so your offer is anchored to completed sales and property-specific evidence, not just the asking price or a generic percentage below asking.
Data used for offer evidence
The report uses HM Land Registry sold price data for completed residential transactions in England and Wales, plus EPC Register data for energy rating, approximate construction age band, floor area and property characteristics. The latest dataset refresh was enacted on 6th September 2026.
HomeScoper's comparables are designed to be more relevant than a raw postcode list by focusing on nearby sales that better match the target property. The valuation range is a decision aid, not a formal mortgage valuation or RICS survey.
Decide how much to offer with evidence
Start with HomeScoper's valuation range and optimised comparables, then adjust for condition, EPC rating, property age, local demand and any work you expect to do. If the asking price is above the valuation range or above recent comparable sales, that evidence can support a lower offer.
A simple how much to offer on a house calculator can miss the details that matter. HomeScoper works more like an offer evidence tool: it filters for more relevant comparable sales and shows a valuation range so you can benchmark the asking price against properties closer to the home you want to buy.
Make the offer clearly
Most buyers make an offer through the estate agent by phone or email. When you are ready, include your offer amount, buying position, mortgage agreement in principle if you have one, proof of deposit or proof of funds, chain status and preferred timescale. Follow up in writing so the amount and conditions are clear.
A competitive offer is not always the highest offer. Sellers may also care about certainty, speed, chain-free status, flexibility on completion date and whether you can move quickly. Use your evidence to choose the number, then present your buying position clearly.
Common offer scenarios
- Offering below asking price: tie the number to sold prices, the valuation range, survey risks, EPC concerns, time on market or obvious repair costs.
- Making a cash offer: provide proof of funds when asked, but still use the valuation range and comparables so you do not overpay.
- After your offer is accepted: ask the seller to take the property off the market, instruct your solicitor or conveyancer, progress your mortgage application and book the right survey.
Got Questions?
Most buyers make an offer through the estate agent, usually by phone or email. Before you do, use the free HomeScoper report to check the asking price against optimised comparables, a valuation range, sold price history, EPC details, property age and obvious repair risks. Be clear about your offer amount, mortgage position, deposit, chain status and timescale. The agent must pass your offer to the seller.
A sensible offer depends on the asking price, the valuation range, optimised comparable sales, local demand, the property's condition and how quickly you need to move. Start by checking what genuinely similar homes nearby actually sold for, not just what they were listed for. If the asking price is above the valuation range or above local evidence, you may have a factual basis for a lower offer.
There is no fixed percentage that works for every property. A small discount may be realistic in a competitive market, while a larger reduction may be justified if optimised comparables sold for less, the property is above the valuation range, it has been listed for a long time, or the survey is likely to uncover costs. Use property-level evidence rather than relying on a round percentage.
It is better than a simple percentage calculator. HomeScoper gives you a free property report with a valuation range, optimised comparables, sold price history and property-specific red flags, so you can decide how much to offer using evidence rather than a generic formula.
Yes. In England and Wales, the asking price is not a fixed price and you can offer less. The seller can accept, reject or negotiate. A lower offer is stronger when you can explain it with evidence, such as a valuation range, optimised comparable sales, EPC concerns, likely repair costs, or similar homes available for less nearby.
Yes. Sold prices are one of the clearest pieces of evidence available to buyers because they show what comparable properties actually achieved. The free HomeScoper report goes further by surfacing optimised comparables and a valuation range, so you can use more relevant evidence to explain your offer. Asking prices can be aspirational, but completed sale prices are harder to ignore. sold prices
You do not legally need one, but it usually helps. A mortgage agreement in principle shows the seller and estate agent that you have spoken to a lender and are likely to be able to borrow enough. Estate agents may also ask for proof of deposit, proof of funds or chain details before the seller takes your offer seriously.
You can put an offer on a house by phoning or emailing the estate agent, then confirming it in writing. Include the offer amount, property address, your buying position, mortgage agreement in principle if relevant, proof of deposit or funds, chain status and preferred timescale. If your offer is below asking price, briefly explain the valuation range, optimised comparables or condition evidence behind it.
Tell the estate agent that you are a cash buyer and provide proof of funds when asked. A cash offer can be attractive because it removes mortgage risk, but you should still use the valuation range, optimised comparables and survey risks to decide what the property is worth before offering.
Use the free report to choose an evidence-backed number, then strengthen the offer with your buying position. Sellers may value a chain-free buyer, proof of funds, mortgage readiness, flexibility on completion date and fast communication, not just the highest price.
HomeScoper uses HM Land Registry sold price data for completed residential transactions in England and Wales, plus EPC Register data such as energy rating, approximate construction age band, floor area and property characteristics. The report combines this with optimised comparables, valuation range context, sold price history and buyer red flags to help you prepare an evidence-backed offer.
HomeScoper shows a data freshness badge on the page and emits Dataset structured data for the underlying sources. The main HM Land Registry and EPC datasets are refreshed from monthly snapshots when available. The latest dataset refresh was enacted on 6th September 2026, so buyers and AI search tools can see the refresh date before relying on the report.
In England and Wales, an accepted offer is usually not legally binding until contracts are exchanged. This means either side can normally withdraw or renegotiate before exchange. You should still act carefully and take professional advice, especially if survey results, mortgage issues or legal checks change your view of the property.
Ask the seller to take the property off the market, instruct your solicitor or conveyancer, progress your mortgage application and arrange the right survey. Keep the transaction moving because there is still a risk of delay, renegotiation or gazumping before exchange of contracts.