Can You Offer Below Asking on a Montgomery County Home Right Now?

If you are house hunting in Montgomery County this fall and have found a home you like, one question is probably on your mind before you write an offer: is there room to offer less than the asking price, or will a lower offer cost you the house? The answer depends far more on the specific home than on the headlines, but the current numbers show why the question is a fair one to ask.

Buyers have more to choose from than they did a year ago. Bright MLS counted 2,447 active listings in Montgomery County in September 2026, up 27.2% from a year earlier, or about three months of supply. New pending sales fell 17.7% and showings dropped 17.9% over the same period, a sign that fewer buyers are competing for each home (Bright MLS September 2026 report). Homes that sold in September averaged 34 days on market, compared with 32 a year earlier and 28 in August, and sold for an average of 97.3% of their original list price, down from 98.6% for the year to date. Prices themselves have held up, with a county median sold price of $610,000, up 1.8% from September 2025 (GCAAR Montgomery County September 2026 report). Mortgage rates are part of the picture too. Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate stood at 7.40% as of October 15 (Freddie Mac PMMS), which keeps many buyers careful about stretching their budget.

In plain terms, a 97.3% average means many sellers are ending up somewhat below their original asking price, whether through a price reduction before an offer arrives or through negotiation. On a home originally listed at $600,000, that average works out to roughly $16,000 below the starting price. But an average is not a rule. Closer to Kentlands and Lakelands, Redfin's data for Gaithersburg over the three months ending September 2026 shows homes selling for 99.3% of list price on average, with 27.8% selling above list and 31.8% having a price drop (Redfin Gaithersburg housing market). Both things are true at once. Some homes have real negotiating room, and well-priced, well-prepared homes can still draw competing offers.

So how do you tell which kind of home you are looking at? Start with days on market and price history. A home that just came on, is priced in line with recent sales, and is in move-in condition will often sell at or near asking, and a low offer may simply take you out of the running. A home that has been listed for several weeks, has already had a price cut, or came back on the market after a contract fell through is more likely to have some flexibility. Then look at the comparable sales rather than the list price. The real question is not how far below asking you can go. It is what the home is worth based on what similar homes nearby actually sold for, adjusted for condition, updates, and location. If the asking price sits above the comps, that gap is your case for a lower offer. If it sits right on them, a big discount is much harder to justify.

It also helps to understand what the seller needs. A seller who has already bought their next home, or who would like to settle before the holidays, may value a clean offer with a firm timeline almost as much as a higher price. Sometimes the smarter ask is not a lower number at all but a credit toward closing costs or a mortgage rate buydown, which can reduce the cash you need at settlement or lower your monthly payment. Keep your protections in place while you negotiate. Solid financing and a realistic settlement date make an offer more attractive without giving up the home inspection that protects you.

Timing can help, though it should not drive the whole decision. Redfin's seasonal analysis found that discounts off original asking prices in the Washington, D.C. metro have typically peaked in late September (Redfin), and homes still on the market as the season turns often belong to sellers who are ready to talk. That does not make every listing a bargain, and fewer new listings typically come on as winter approaches, so the right home may still be worth acting on quickly.

"The asking price is where the conversation starts, not where it has to end. The comps, the days on market, and what the seller needs tell you how much room there really is, and that is different for every house," says Meredith Fogle, owner of The List Realty.

If you have your eye on a home in Kentlands, Lakelands, or anywhere in Montgomery County and want a second opinion before you decide what to offer, reach out to The List Realty for a consultation. We can pull the recent comparable sales, look at the listing's history, and help you put together an offer that is competitive without paying more than the home is worth.