There is a fundamental divide among agents: some say “never take the first offer,” others say “move quickly on serious money.” Michael Tomadakis’s approach isn’t dogma—it’s driven by facts, market context, and understanding buyer psychology in Melbourne’s inner-north.

**Process:**
1. **Assess the context:** Was the property priced to attract offers or listed ambitiously? Genuine, early offers on well-priced homes can represent the ‘market speaking’.
2. **Track campaign days:** Michael keeps record of how many similar homes sold in week 1–2 versus 3–5. Sometimes the strongest offers arrive early—inertia favours the buyer, not the seller.
3. **Test buyer motivation:** If a buyer offers within the first three days, Michael’s method involves probing their urgency (pre-approval, finance, prior misses) and whether they’re making offers on other properties concurrently.
4. **Negotiate, don’t rush:** Even with an attractive opening offer, Michael always invites competition through follow-up calls to other interested parties.

**Scenario:** In Fitzroy, a vendor was reluctant to accept an offer at their upper guide in week one. Michael polled five recent comparable sales: four sold in the first fortnight, and all achieved within 2% of initial guides. The owner hesitated, the buyer moved on, and three weeks later the home sold $25,000 below the initial offer.

**Conclusion:** The first offer isn’t always the best or last, but context, current demand, and buyer behaviour—not just the offer sequence—should drive decisions. Michael’s evidence-first approach removes the guesswork.

Ready for strategic deal advice? [Contact Collings](https://www.collings.com.au/portal/) to get a balanced take on offer quality, not just price.