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A second or subsequent offer to purchase an asset. For example, if the asking price on a house is $150,000, a potential buyer may make an initial offer of $125,000. In such a case, the seller may make a counteroffer for $140,000. Counteroffers are only made if the price is subject to negotiation.


An offer that differs from the previous offer in some significant detail.A counteroffer rejects the prior offer by operation of law, and instead makes a new offer that must either be accepted or rejected by the other party.

Example: A seller offers to sell her home “as is” for $250,000.

• A buyer offers to buy the home for $240,000, but the seller must replace the roof and recar- pet the house (counteroffer).
• The seller replies that she will sell for $235,000 “as is” (another counteroffer).
• The buyer replies that he will pay $210,000 “as is” (another counteroffer).
• The seller sees things going downhill and says, “Wait, wait, I accept your first counteroffer of $240,000 and I will repair the roof and carpet.” However, the seller cannot do this, because that offer no longer exists and cannot be accepted.

References in periodicals archive ?
"Counter offers are like sticking an plaster on to a broken leg, it doesn't solve the real problem that made the employee unhappy.
Counter offers can also start a trend among colleagues if they start to use other job offers to blackmail their employer into giving them promotion.