Some people think that the best strategy is to always offer less than the seller’s asking price. While this can work in a buyer’s market, it’s not as effective in a seller’s market where there’s a lot of competition among buyers. In a strong seller’s market, you often only have one chance to make a good impression with your offer. Instead of focusing only on price, consider other ways to make your offer stand out. You could offer a faster closing time, flexibility with the move-in date, or fewer contingencies (conditions you want met before finalizing the sale). These things can sometimes be more appealing to sellers than just offering a lower price. Every situation is different, so it’s important to work closely with your real estate agent.