Selling a house can be a stressful experience, especially when you receive a lowball offer that feels like an insult. We’ve all been there – you’ve poured your heart and soul into your home, only to have someone come along and offer a fraction of its worth.
It’s enough to make you want to scream, cry, or both. But what if there was a better way to handle these situations? What if you could turn your frustration into humor and lighten the mood?
In this blog post, I’ll share some hilarious responses to lowball offers that might just make the process a little more bearable.
Whether you’re a seasoned real estate pro or a first-time seller, these witty comebacks could be the perfect way to diffuse tension and maybe even spark a more reasonable negotiation.
20 Funny Responses to Low Ball Offer on House
Responding humorously to lowball offers on your house can help lighten the mood while still conveying your stance.
Here are 20 funny responses you might consider:
- “I appreciate your sense of humor! But let’s talk real numbers now.”
- “Oh, did I accidentally list the playhouse in the backyard?”
- “That’s a great start… to a negotiation for a different house!”
- “I think you missed a zero. Could you double-check?”
- “Wow, are we on a game show? Is this the lowest bid round?”
- “Thanks for the warm-up offer, now let’s get serious.”
- “That offer’s so low; it could go limbo dancing!”
- “Is this offer in a different currency?”
- “That’s a historic offer—like, from the Great Depression era.”
- “I was hoping for something that didn’t make me laugh out loud!”
- “Are you testing to see if my email works? Okay, it does. Try again!”
- “I’m not sure if this is a typo or a joke. Which one?”
- “You’re a great comedian! Ever thought of changing careers?”
- “This is a house, not a yard sale item!”
- “Let’s add a little bit of reality to that fantasy offer.”
- “Are we bargaining or playing ‘How low can you go?'”
- “That’s cute. My turn to joke: Offer accepted! Just kidding, let’s get real.”
- “Looks like we’ve got a prankster here!”
- “I love a good joke, but my house really doesn’t.”
- “Did your calculator run out of batteries?”
1. Sense of Humor (Humorous)
“I appreciate your sense of humor! But let’s talk real numbers now.” this is a response that uses humor to shift a low offer toward a more serious negotiation.
By acknowledging the humor, the seller gently nudges the conversation back to reality, implying that the offer was so off-mark that it could only be a joke.
This phrase works well in lightening the mood while also making it clear that a more reasonable offer is expected.
Usage example:
When Janet received a ridiculously low offer for her well-maintained Victorian home, she texted back, “I appreciate your sense of humor! But let’s talk real numbers now.” to signal she was open to negotiation but only at a serious level.
2. Playful Confusion (Humorous)
“Oh, did I accidentally list the playhouse in the backyard?” uses playful sarcasm to highlight how unreasonably low the offer is, comparing the value of a substantial property to something much less valuable.
It’s a humorous way to point out the discrepancy without directly criticizing the buyer’s offer.
Usage example:
Bob chuckled as he replied to an email with a lowball offer, saying, “Oh, did I accidentally list the playhouse in the backyard?” making it clear the offer was not even in the ballpark.
3. Redirecting Focus (Sarcastic)
“That’s a great start… to a negotiation for a different house!” uses sarcasm to redirect the buyer’s attention.
It implies that the offer might be suitable but certainly not for the house in question, suggesting they are way off the mark.
Usage example:
When Lisa got a low offer on her downtown condo, she responded with a smirk, “That’s a great start… to a negotiation for a different house!” effectively hinting that the offer was too low for her property.
4. Prompting Reevaluation (Humorous)
“I think you missed a zero; could you double-check?” humorously suggests that the buyer made a mistake in their offer. This response uses humor to ask for a higher offer without direct confrontation.
Usage example:
In a negotiation meeting, Tom slid the written offer back across the table with a smile, suggesting, “I think you missed a zero; could you double-check?” indicating the offer needed significant improvement.
5. Game Show Comparison (Humorous)
“Wow, are we on a game show? Is this the lowest bid round?” compares the negotiation to a game show where participants make the lowest bid.
It’s a lighthearted way to express disbelief at the low offer while keeping the tone friendly.
Usage example:
Emily texted back to the potential buyer, “Wow, are we on a game show? Is this the lowest bid round?” to highlight how unexpectedly low their initial offer was.
6. Serious Invitation (Direct)
“Thanks for the warm-up offer, now let’s get serious.” is a direct response that shifts from acknowledging the initial low offer as a starting point to inviting a more substantial, serious proposal.
It implies that the initial offer was just a preliminary step and that the negotiation should now move into a more earnest phase.
Usage example:
Upon reviewing the first offer, Sarah replied via email, “Thanks for the warm-up offer, now let’s get serious.” suggesting they move past the informalities to more reasonable figures.
7. Limbo Dance Analogy (Humorous)
“That offer’s so low, it could go limbo dancing!” uses a vivid analogy to humorously comment on how low the offer is. This metaphorical response lightens the mood while clearly indicating the offer is much too low.
Usage example:
Kevin texted his realtor with a chuckle, “That offer’s so low, it could go limbo dancing!” making it clear he found the offer amusingly inadequate.
8. Currency Confusion (Humorous)
“Is this offer in a different currency?” playfully suggests that the only way the offer could be considered adequate is if it were in a much stronger currency, humorously hinting that the offer is not up to par.
Usage example:
When Alice received the first bid, she replied with a light tone, “Is this offer in a different currency?” to subtly suggest that the offer was far below her expectations.
9. Historical Low (Humorous)
“That’s a historic offer—like, from the Great Depression era.” uses historical context to humorously illustrate just how low the offer is, implying it’s unreasonably outdated and insufficient.
Usage example:
During a call with a prospective buyer, Mark laughed and said, “That’s a historic offer—like, from the Great Depression era.” to stress how inadequate the bid was.
10. Expectation vs. Reality (Humorous)
“I was hoping for something that didn’t make me laugh out loud!” directly addresses the humor found in the low offer, indicating that the offer was so low it was laughable, thus expecting something more reasonable.
Usage example:
Nancy messaged her agent, “I was hoping for something that didn’t make me laugh out loud!” after receiving a surprisingly low offer, indicating her disappointment.
11. Communication Check (Playful)
“Are you testing to see if my email works? Okay, it does. Try again!” playfully suggests that the offer was so low it might have been a test to see if communication lines were open. This humorous remark encourages the buyer to reconsider and submit a more serious proposal.
Usage example:
When Joe received an offer that seemed like a joke, he responded lightheartedly, “Are you testing to see if my email works? Okay, it does. Try again!” aiming to prompt a more reasonable follow-up.
12. Clarifying Confusion (Humorous)
“I’m not sure if this is a typo or a joke. Which one?” humorously questions whether the low offer was a mistake or intentionally amusing.
This response is a clever way to ask for clarification, nudging the buyer towards a better offer.
Usage example:
Rachel, upon seeing the offer on her premium listing, texted back, “I’m not sure if this is a typo or a joke. Which one?” to signal her disbelief in the figures presented.
13. Career Suggestion (Sarcastic)
“You’re a great comedian! Ever thought of changing careers?” sarcastically compliments the buyer’s humor over their low offer, suggesting they might be better suited for comedy. It’s a playful nudge that their offer isn’t being taken seriously.
Usage example:
After a particularly low bid, Mike responded, “You’re a great comedian! Ever thought of changing careers?” laughing off the offer while hinting at its inadequacy.
14. Yard Sale Comparison (Sarcastic)
“This is a house, not a yard sale item!” sarcastically addresses the low offer by comparing it to what one might expect to pay for items at a yard sale, emphasizing the inappropriateness of the offer for a property.
Usage example:
When a buyer sent an unexpectedly low offer, Ellen replied, “This is a house, not a yard sale item!” indicating that the offer was far too trivial for such a valuable asset.
15. Fantasy vs. Reality (Direct)
“Let’s add a little bit of reality to that fantasy offer.” straightforwardly suggests that the buyer’s offer is more fantastical than realistic. It’s a direct way to call for a more grounded and practical proposal.
Usage example:
Donna, in response to a lowball offer, wrote back, “Let’s add a little bit of reality to that fantasy offer.” inviting the buyer to reconsider their valuation.
16. Bargaining Game (Humorous)
“Are we bargaining or playing ‘How low can you go?'” turns the negotiation into a playful challenge, humorously implying that the buyer’s offer feels more like a game of seeing how low they can bid rather than a serious negotiation.
Usage example:
Greg laughed during a phone call with a potential buyer, saying, “Are we bargaining or playing ‘How low can you go?'” to highlight the unserious nature of the initial offer and encourage a more reasonable bid.
17. Joke Exchange (Witty)
“That’s cute. My turn to joke: Offer accepted! Just kidding, let’s get real.” responds to a low offer with a joke of its own, lightening the mood but clearly signaling that the offer needs to be more realistic.
Usage example:
In a text exchange about her home, Linda replied to a shockingly low offer, “That’s cute. My turn to joke: Offer accepted! Just kidding, let’s get real.” making it clear she was looking for a serious negotiation.
18. Prankster Alert (Amusing)
“Looks like we’ve got a prankster here!” playfully accuses the buyer of joking around with their low offer. This humorous retort maintains a friendly tone while indicating that the offer isn’t taken seriously.
Usage example:
After receiving a lowball offer, Derek emailed the buyer, “Looks like we’ve got a prankster here!” suggesting the offer was more comical than considerable.
19. Good Joke, Bad Offer (Amusing)
“I love a good joke, but my house really doesn’t.” acknowledges the humor in the situation but distinguishes the serious nature of selling a home from the unseriousness of the offer.
Usage example:
When Paula received a bid far below market value, she responded with, “I love a good joke, but my house really doesn’t.” indicating the need for a more appropriate offer.
20. Technical Issue (Humorous)
“Did your calculator run out of batteries?” uses humor to suggest that there might have been a mathematical error in calculating the offer, prompting the buyer to reconsider and possibly correct their calculations.
Usage example:
Sam, finding the offer unbelievably low, quipped back to the prospective buyer, “Did your calculator run out of batteries?” to subtly indicate that the offer was unrealistically low.