6 Mistakes Homebuyers Make With Lowball Offers

2. Not picking the right real-estate agent

Robyn Seymour-The "right" agent!

Some real-estate agents caution buyers against making an offer that is so low it could offend the seller and halt negotiations. But sometimes agents are too reluctant to make aggressive offers, Carlisle says. They may be more focused on completing a deal and collecting their commission, rather than making the best deal, or their negotiation skills might not be up to par.

"If it's an appealing, well-priced property that has five or six offers on it, well, going in 10% or 20% under asking isn't going to get you anywhere," he says. But on a property that has been overlooked by the market and doesn't have multiple bidders, it often doesn't hurt to go in low.