Offering 12% below asking on a Berlin apartment — sensible or too aggressive?

[ModernLoft]

The 112 days on the market made us reconsider an apartment we had assumed was out of reach. It is listed at €763,600 in Berlin and needs updating, but we have only tonight to decide whether to proceed. Comparable listings support the asking range; reliable evidence of agreed sale prices is much thinner.

We are thinking of starting 12% lower, with proof of finance and some flexibility over timing. Is the condition and long marketing period enough to support that opening without turning the offer into a criticism of the property? We do not want to give up financing or inspection protection, especially before knowing how the lender will value it.

 

[BriskPlan]

Twelve percent is assertive, but the 112 days and required updating give you a rational basis. Keep the message factual: the offer reflects the condition, uncertainty around completed comparables, and your budget for the work. Then emphasise financing proof and flexibility. Don’t frame it as a verdict on what the apartment is “really worth.” The seller can counter.

 

[eli.west]

Before submitting, ask what happens if the lender’s appraisal is below your offer. Can you cover that gap, and how much deposit would be exposed if financing fails? “Clean financing” sounds attractive to a seller, but it should not mean accepting an open-ended risk. The exact protections and wording will depend on the German contract process, so clarify them before agreeing to waive anything.

 

[radar.round]

I would not read too much into 112 days. You have checked the current listings and condition, but you still do not know whether the seller is under pressure or simply prepared to wait.

Offer 12% under if that is the price the apartment supports for you, not because the marketing period supposedly proves motivation. Keep protection for significant inspection findings and decide in advance how far you would move after a counter. Minor updating should be reflected in the initial figure; genuinely unexpected defects can be dealt with separately rather than counted twice.