Newbie saying hi.....

Hi, everyone. Just joined.
Was reading a thread from way back 2006 about a couple making an offer for a house.
I'm in the same position just now and i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice.
I live in Scoltand, me and my partner have recently saw a house we liked and we would like to make an offer. Now the house is at a fixed price and has been on the market for quite sometime. it has been three diffrent prices befor settling at the fixed price it is now. As everyone knows just now it is a buyers market, i was wondering if i should make a ''verbal offer'' below the fixed price and see what the seller says then if declined just increase my offer a little bit more. Or should i just offer them the fixed price??
As the market just now is at a standstill i was thinking along the lines of below the fixed price.
We are first time buyers with no house to sell.
Thanks in advance
Jonny

You are not in a chain so, as long as you have your mortgage in place you are in a strong position at the moment. I would make a lower offer emphasizing that you are able to complete straight away. They can only say no. If it's a yes then it's money in your pocket. Good luck.

What tenapenny said. I am not sure the market is at a standstill but it certainly is a buyer's market if you are certain your job is safe in a recession (ie you don't work for a bank, mortgage company, sports car dealership, holiday company...)