How close to asking you may need to be
When you are preparing an offer, the biggest mistake is ignoring the recent closing pattern. Last month, Roanoke, VA homes sold at 98% of asking, and that makes price discipline part of the conversation from the start.
The typical sale took 27 days, so there is not a lot of evidence for homes sitting long enough to invite repeated indecision. I would treat that as a signal to be ready when the right home shows up.
That also means you should not let a strong property get away because you were trying to force too much room on price. The market was not giving much of that last month.
Be ready to act when the fit is right. Keep your offer close to the recent sale pattern. Stay focused on the homes that make sense at the 98% level, not the ones that ask you to ignore it.
