Definition of "Ask price"

Nelson Montanez  real estate agent

Written by

Nelson Montanez elite badge icon

Brass Moon Realty

Ask Price is the initial listed price for a piece of real estate.

It’s important to understand that, in the real estate world, there’s no such thing as a fixed price when buying or selling a property. Fixed price is a concept you can only apply when the product in question has scale, so you might have a fixed price on rental properties of a building, however, when buying or selling a property, the homeowner does not set a price so an interested home buyer can acquire it by merely paying that value.

It is more of a bargaining routine, where the home seller sets a price - the so-called ask price - he/she believes corresponds to the worth of the property. Then, it’s up to the interested home buyer to make his/her own assessment of worth - the so-called offer price - and make an offer to the home seller. If both agree to it - the so-called Fair Market Value - the house is sold.

Although the asking price is thoroughly studied by the homeowner and the professionals surrounding him/her - especially the agents and the Appraiser - the most common scenario is to have the home buyer offering a lower amount of money than the one the home seller set as the property’s asking price. When that happens, the home seller usually makes a counteroffer and both of them go back and forth until they can agree on a fair market value for the property.

There are sometimes when you’re in a Seller’s Market or the house is so unique, that a home buyer might make an offer higher than the ask price in order to secure the house. It’s rare, but it happens.

Real Estate Advice:

Take a look at our Real Estate FAQs. Maybe the answer to those frequently asked questions will help you understand the big picture better.

And check 
The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory® to find an agent to help you with whatever you can't find on our website (if that's possible!)

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Large scale map of an urban area detailing land use. City plans are essential for projecting the growth, development, and redevelopment of the urban area. The major objective of a city plan ...

Typically, the term rider defines a financial concept, implying a written modification applied to an insurance policy, altering its initial clauses and provisions. The rider can update the ...

Portion of a deed that states the act and date of the transfer of the property. ...

Legal order for a person to present at a deposition or trial documents in his possession, such as related to a real estate transaction. ...

Written agreement, guarantee, pledge, or promise annexed to the land between two or more parties to do or not to do something and is transferred to successive title holders. For example, in ...

Power of attorney giving permission for a lawyer to represent a client. ...

Possession and use of a property estate by virtue of a lease. There are four types of leasehold estates: estate for years, periodic tenancy, tenancy at will, and tenant at sufferance. ...

(1) Retaining wall constructed along water with solid earth behind it. It extends the effective shoreline and protects the land from tidal action. (2) That portion of a wall located beneath ...

Individual or business transferring a right or benefit to another person or business. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions