Getting the Seller to come up with a price FIRST????

[Caleb Reits]

We've tried multiple different ways to say "What is the lowest you will take for the house?" and the seller keeps telling us to make him an offer. Without trying to offend the seller or go way over what he was originally thinking, what are your next steps? 

[Bill B.]

I always counter “what’s the lowest you’d take for your item/property” with “what’s the most you’d pay for my item/property.” That way when they do answer and it’s less than I would take I can say no thank you and walk away. 

They always look confused and I have to explain to them. They just said $x was the most they would pay and I won’t sell for that. Funny enough. Half of them don’t get it and raise their offer and I have to ask is that the most you would pay? Luckily it’s still never enough since they started so low and we get to repeat.