I think calling the listing agent would be a bad move, how would that go?  "Hey, my client's thinking about stealing your client's home, that cool?"

"Ummm....no"

"Ok cool, I'll talk with my client and tell them you're hoping for list price"

If I were an agent, I'd advise my buyer as best I could, and then put together an offer at the price they'd like to shoot for.  I've seen lowball offers accepted, sometimes it works!

Write the offer and tell the agent not to shoot the messanger.

I have learned to let people wite the offer they want to write at the start. If however, after 2-3 lowball offers that go nowhere, the buyers don't learn the lesson, then I might refer them out.

I write the offer then explain to the listing agent that it was prepared at the direction of my client.

I send in the offer; I have been surprised before by people who are under financial stress or other who have accepted offers that appeared to be a sure failure.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  On the other hand, if this is the buyers practice over and over in a very strong market, I resign from the relationship.  Time is money for me also.

Chris Mamone Since we have a fiduciary duty of obedience to our client, I would submit the offer. Talking to the listing agent isn't going to do much good since they would be looking out for their client.

"An agent is obligated to obey promptly and efficiently all lawful instructions of his principal."

My procedure is like Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041's with a heads-up call to the listing agent to ensure some response. And like Cindy Davis I don't write repeatedly low ball offers for a client. 

If a client insists, I write that offer and submit. The degree to which I call the listing agent to discuss depends on (a) how well I know the agent and (b) how motivated I know my client might really be despite the low opening offer. There are people who just "have to" write that first offer low, but will respond intelligently to a counter offer. (I just went through this as a listing agent last week; it took three days and 3+ rounds but we got the buyer where we wanted him.)

I wrtie and present the offer.  If I am going to call the other agent it is only to find out if there are any other offers on the table so I know how to advise my buyer client.

Most likely I would call the LA before submitting the offer, to let her/him know.
My reasoning is, yes, I work for the buyer, but that is 1 transaction; also I work with the same agents over and over and I don't want to ruin my reputation, and be branded as the "LowBall Guy"

  Because if THAT happens, you can loose future offers AND clients, just because the other agents don't want to work with you.

I submit the offer because it is what the client wants to do and we ultimately represent the client.  However, if I know the offer is likely to be insulting to the seller, I will call the listing agent and say something like, "We are submitting an offer.  This is the offer my clients want to make and, as you know, we ultimlately have to do what the client wants us to do."   I find adding this caveat seems to get a better reaction from the sellers and the listing agent.  I've even had deals close which started this way.

Considering that it is job as a Realtor to present ALL offers, I do try to ask my client how 'serious' they are regarding the property.  If the offer is crazy low, I will present it but caution my client that the Seller may be offended and not take them seriously.

YES  . . . I do both.  And it all depends of the particular deal, etc.  

I would write the offer.  You never know what the Seller will do.  Sometimes they take it.

I will write the offer the first time for the client.  If he continues to make low ball offers and does not come up to a legitimate offer then for the next one i would probably call the listing agent to discuss it.

I usually don't call an agent to discuss the particulars of a forthcoming offer. Agents have a tendency to try and negotiate over the phone which is weird because negotiations are between buyer and seller.

If a client wants to write a bunch of lowball offers just to see what sticks, I'm probably not the right agent for them.

I had this situation last week. A new buyer was looking at a REO that was way under priced in a desirable neighborhood. The bank was asking for a highest and best. I called the agent to get a feel for where we needed to be as the agent was reporting that multiple offers were submitted. The buyer was hesitant to give me the number as it was so far below the already low asking price.
I have no problem submitting low ball offers. I just don't like wasting my time. I spent the time directing the buyer to something she could afford.

I write the offer. If I am representing the Buyer, their offer will be presented.  Then, if they do not win, I take stronger measures to help them make more practical decisions.

Submit the offer!

I have had many listing agents tell me their Seller would not be interested in an offer, I submitted it anyway and got my offer accepted and the transaction closed. Don't ever forget your fiduciary duty to your client to, "present all offers"!

All the best!

I submit all offers.

Write the offer and let the agent know you are just doing your job, we can just advise clients but in the end it is their choice on what they want to offer.

It depends on the listing agent. I would do discuss with any agent in my office. Sometimes it's best to present the offer in writing that is the only way some agents will consider the offer. 

Chris - I would do as my buyer client requested and submit the offer. At this point, I see no need to call the listing agent. Once the offer has been submitted, I will play it by ear based on the listing agents/sellers response, etc.

Why call the listing agent?  I work for the buyer, submit it.

Good question Chris, it really depends but if I have to choose I write the offer with spectacular terms!

Of course I will write the offer and submit.

HOWEVER, I will call the agent beforehand to determine if any 'no goes' exist.

Then, when the offer is submitted, I will call the listing agent to give them a 'heads up' and condition them for the contents.

I find all of these touches are necessary to avoid 'absolute silence' from the other side which IS a response, not the mistaken 'no response' many complain about.

The smart listing agent will be able to decode and respond in the manner indicated.

No as most just tell me put it writing and we will look at it.

Counsel them on the results of a lowball offer, ask if they really want the home, then write it up if they still want to.

Wow, this turned out to be a very compelling question Chris Mamone!  I am very surprised that almost across the board the consensus is to write it up.  As the (very) minority opinion here, I am not going to waste my nor the listing agent's precious time writing up an offer and the associated documents for an offer that most likely has no legs.  I have called the listing agents to try to find out what kind of wiggle room there might be.  I am fully aware they won't/should not tell me what the "bottom line" is their client will accept, so I don't ask, but let's be real.  If it is a home listed for $500,000 (that is in line with current comps) and my client wants to offer $430,000, would YOU ( not "you" personally) write that up?! Sure, there are ALWAYS exceptions where one person's idea of a "low ball" offer is different than another's.  From my personal experience, especially here in a marketplace where the average sale gets well over 97% to 100% (and sometimes more) than listing price, there is no point to submit it and waste everybody's time.  Maybe I've been fortunate thus far, but calling the listing agent to feel out where things might land has been very successful for me thus far.

Depends on your definition of a low ball offer and other circumstances regarding the property, however, I wouldn't call the listing agent to discuss pricing but issues specifically about TDS and the amount of offers submitted and why they were rejected.

This is always a bit difficult, in most cases when you send upsurd low ball offers it does reflect on you as the agent. I do prepare the offers and send them to the agents but always with a phone call to prepare them.

As a listing agent, I recieve these calls and respond, "Sure put it in writing and I will present it to the seller."

I call first if it is or is not a low ball offer!  I want the agent to know I have an offer coming over.

A verbal offer is not an offer. Why would any agent give the seller or the seller's agent an opportunity to say "NO"?

Call the listing agent because you just never know.  Is the client an investor that knows it can take 20-30 offers to get one to click?

Does the client know the house you can make money on and the house you want to live in are often/ALWAYS EXTREMELY different things?

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY:)

I cringe when I hear that a fake buyers agent called up the listing agent to "prepare" them for a lowball...really?

IF you are going to represent a buyer and put their best interest above the need to be liked by another agent, than it is your job to present the low offer in the best light possible.

Eve

Write it up, never know what people will accept.

In a seller's market some sellers think they can name any price. If the list price is unreasonably high, then the "lowball" offer may actually be the true market value.

I usually write it but try to get the buyer to make their best offer first.

I will submit the offer since I work for the buyer. However, I will disclose to buyer that chances it will be rejected since we are in a sellers market.

Write it

I call/email the listing agent to find out:

1. If the property is still for sale.
2. If there are any/many offers

If it's still for sale and no offers, we low ball. If still for sale and 10 offers, we go to something else.

Every buyer gets one low ball try from me. Sometimes we have to humor our clients.

If they want to keep low balling, I tell them that it's not going to work and to get real. If they still want to low ball, I don't talk to them anymore.

I'm have a Buyer, and  I'm representing the Seller, and my Buyer wants me to tell him what my Seller will accept.  Whats your opiion on this situation.

Good morning Chris,

You write the offer and let the chips fall where they may

Never call the Listing agent and ask if bringing a low offer will fly.  Write the offer and present it with your reasons and justifications as to why it is low.

We have a responsibility to present an offer. When I begin working with a Buyer we discuss the market and what is going on that could affect any offer they make. I try to help them understand the process. Then before the offer is submitted we look in more detail at the market in the area of the subject home. Then we submit the offer. We really don't know the motivation of the Seller but an offer can be a starting point for negotiations.

Explain to the Listing Agent you wrote the offer at your Client's request. Just submit it. Not call 1st.

By law I have to submit all offers as a listing agent.  As a Buyers Agent its my job to get them all the information needed to make an informed decision and I would write the offer.  

HI Chris,  I do both. I follow the instructions of my buyer client, but after conversations and advisement. I advise them of the pros and cons of a lowball offer. After a consultation with the buyer I write the offer if that is what they want to do. However, then before sending to the listing agent, I do call the listing agent, to alert to the offer. We all understand that low offers can sometimes be insulting to sellers, such that they don't even want to counter or respond. However, through a phone conversation we can sometimes help keep things moving forward. This is especially important to understand in working with people with different cultural experiences since the negotiating is part of the buying experience and it is an expected step in the process. 

Both. I represent the buyer so I want to do what is in their best interests; of course, I discuss comps and likelihood of success with a low ball offer.

Yes or be hauled in front of the real estate commission. However, proper counseling before working with a buyer can prevent that. Plus a second lowball for me becomes a blackball.

I will write the low offer. Usually explaining to them that more than likely it will not be accepted. I will inform the lister that an offer is on the way. Often time the buyers making the low ball offers are either mis-educated on the home buying process, testing the "water" to see what the seller response will be, trying to get a what they call a "good deal", and several other responses.

Hi Chris Mamone . I would submit the offer at the direction of my clients with no more of a call than to confirm the agent received the offer. Any offer can also be the start of a successful negotiation. Sellers should not be offended (since their agent should have advised them of a low-ball offer possibility) and should respond with a counter. If not, it could well be their loss.
Bruce

I would always writye the offer for 2 reasons:

1) It is my experience that the number a seller will say no to verbally & the number that they will say no to when they have a  contract in hand are 2 different numbers.

2) Somtime tyou have to write 1 or 2 bad offers for your buyer before they realize that their strategy is not going to work and theny listne to your advise more on how to structure the offer.

I submit the offer. If the client continues to make ridiculously low offers, at some point you must stop. I remember a client and I must have put in 10-15 offers and finally I had to let him go and advised him to get a new agent. The agents were getting upset with me and hurting my reputation. He was making offers based on some formula from a info comercial real estate book. If the home was priced at $296,000 he would have me put in offer of $209,376. Really wierd contract prices.

I tell the client that a low offer is fine if they have reason to believe that the seller may accept it and/or if they don't really care if they get the home.  Otherwise, because selling a home can be emotional, an unrealistic low offer may offend the seller and make them not want to deal with the buyer.

If it's not on paper it's not an offer. I would definetly write it up.

I take all offers seriously, even when they look like nonsense.  Like the starter on the line at the beginning of the race: there is no race until runners are at their mark, ready and lung upon the firing of the gun!  Only then do you begin to run, run at your pace, and run to the finish line.  Much happens during the race, but you must run your best race for the chance to win.  Part pride, part endurance, part craftiness, part speed, bug the prize goes to the one who RUNS, RUNS HARD, RUNS FASTEST AND IS OUT FRONT AT THE LINE.

It is not the one who comes slow out of the block, lays back, and trails the field without a plan and a purpose.  It is the one who runs to win, overcomes, gets out front and holds the lead all the way across the finish line. Competition offers a challenge, so the task goes past lowball and becomes fastball.  Those less than serious will fall to the wayside.  Only at the finish line do we know how bad the buyer wanted the property and how determined was the owner to sell.

I discuss it with my buyer and try to get clear there.  In this market, there aren't many circumstances where a low ball offer is worth anybody's time.  

I will submit the lowball offer because after all we do not know the sellers motivation level for selling. However, I do ask the buyer if they are emotionally prepared to loose the home if someone comes in with a higher offer.  Once they loose a home to another buyer that they "fell in love with" usually the next time around they aren't as tempted to let greed set in and  will offer something closer to what the comps and current climate of the market is. 

There were times when it was appropriate to "feel things out" verbally first; it takes some finesse.