$1.

And watch the seller laugh.

Just because you give it doesn't mean he'll take it. If you're serious about getting this property for the lowest price available, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.

Dear Joe,
I would need quite a bit more information on the actual property and the asking price, (among other considerations) before I could etically advise you on an offer. I'm hoping you have already hired a buyer agent. If not....now is the time to consider doing that.

Joe,

Your offer should be based on concrete information that can be used to validate your number. This information should be taken from recently sold homes similar to the subject home that are located within the same general area.

By picking out a random number for your offer that cannot be validated, you are most certainly decreasing your chances of being successful.

Good luck

I'm afraid the question is too general. You need to determine what comparable properties have sold for in the last 3 months or so within a 1-mile radius of the property. That will give you a good feel for what the market value might be. It would also help to know what the current owner owes on the property.