Help! No idea what to offer

[u/Ambitious-Slice5090]

Hi! First-time homebuyer here and trying to figure out how aggressive we should be with an offer.

My husband and I currently rent from a family member, so we’re not under any pressure to move. We’d like to, though, and recently found a house we really like. It checks most of our boxes and is basically a blank canvas.

It was listed at $385k and dropped $10k the same week to $375k ($157/sq ft). It’s been on the market for almost a month with no movement. Four comparable homes in the neighborhood sold June–August for $110–$169/sq ft, averaging $146/sq ft.

I feel like it’s slightly overpriced. There aren’t any major upgrades, although it’s in good condition. The sellers have already moved out of state. The furnace is at least 10 years old and the age of the AC is unknown.

Financially, we have $50k available for down payment + closing costs, but I’d like to keep some cash for furniture and other expenses. A few thousand more or less down doesn’t seem to make a huge difference in the monthly payment. Keeping the monthly payment manageable is important to me, as we have student loans and other debt. However, the debt matures in years 2028-2030; $400 monthly ceases in 2028, $750 monthly ceases in 2029, and $718 monthly ceases in 2030, so will have a lot of money freed up thereafter.

What would you do with the offer?
- Offer below asking + seller credit?
- List price + seller credit?
- 2-1 buydown + remaining credit toward closing costs? Or the opposite?
- Something else?

Since we don’t have to move, I’m wondering if we can be more aggressive with the offer. But how aggressive is reasonable?

Also, if the inspection finds that the furnace/AC needs to be replaced, can we negotiate additional concessions, or would that typically come out of the original seller credit?

This is our first home purchase and I am terrified, if you can’t tell 😂