"How much should I offer?" and "How do I actually go about putting an offer in on a property I like?" are two of the most common questions we hear from clients in Scotland. This guide walks you through how the offer process works, the role of solicitors and estate agents, and how to give yourself the best chance of getting an accepted offer.

How much should I offer?

There's no right or wrong answer here. Every property transaction depends on factors on both sides — the buyer's and the seller's — and it's not a case of "if you offer X, it's guaranteed to be accepted."

The two big things to weigh up are:

• What you can afford — your maximum borrowing as confirmed by your mortgage adviser
• What you think the property is genuinely worth — particularly relative to the Home Report valuation

One important thing to know: a mortgage lender will base their maximum mortgage borrowing on whichever is lower — the property value or the purchase price. So if you offer above the property value as set out in the Home Report, you'll need to fund the extra amount yourself, on top of your normal deposit.

How do I actually make the offer?

You can submit an offer (or register a note of interest) in two ways:

• Verbally yourself — by calling the estate agent selling the property
• Through a solicitor — who can act on your behalf

Most buyers go through a solicitor, even at the early stage, because it gets you better information. Once your solicitor has registered a note of interest, they'll be kept informed about how the sale is progressing — including how many other parties are interested.

Your solicitor can also submit a formal written offer for you. This is typically done once a verbal offer is agreed, or when a property is going to a closing date.

If you're the only interested party — or if the seller is looking for a quick sale — you or your solicitor may try to agree a price directly with the estate agent. Be aware that doing this "shows your hand" to the seller, signalling how much you're willing to pay. Your solicitor will advise on the best strategy depending on the situation.

What's a closing date?

If a property is attracting strong interest, the estate agent will often encourage the seller to set a closing date rather than accepting any single offer.

A closing date is essentially a blind bidding process. Interested parties instruct their solicitors to submit their best offer in writing by a set date and time. The seller then chooses which to accept.

A few things to know about closing dates:

• There's no negotiation — you only get one chance, so it has to be your genuinely best offer
• Having a Decision in Principle ready puts you in a much stronger position — see our guide on the mortgage process for what's involved
• The highest offer doesn't always win — sellers will weigh up your overall position, not just price (more on that below)

Sell your situation

Many sellers are looking for a relatively quick, smooth sale rather than purely the highest number — particularly if they're moving themselves and need certainty over timings.

Being a first-time buyer, having no property chain, or having your mortgage already organised can all make your offer more appealing — sometimes more appealing than a higher offer from a buyer with a longer chain.

If you get the chance to chat with the seller at a viewing, take it. Explaining your own situation can give you a sense of what they're looking for, and may prompt them to view your offer more favourably.

What happens after your offer is accepted?

Once your offer is accepted, things move into a more structured phase:

• Your full mortgage application is submitted (your adviser will need supporting documents)
• The lender will arrange a valuation and underwriting
• Once the mortgage offer is issued, your solicitor takes over the legal work

From offer accepted to keys typically takes 8 to 10 weeks in total, though this varies depending on the lender, the solicitors involved, and whether you're in a chain. Our guide to mortgage timescales breaks the timeline down stage by stage.

The bottom line

Making an offer can feel like the most nerve-wracking part of buying a property — but with the right preparation and the right team around you, it's much more manageable than it looks.

If you'd like to talk through your options or get a Decision in Principle organised before you start viewing, get in touch with the team. Having that in place before you make your first offer puts you in a genuinely stronger position from the start.