Reading an offer
past the price
The highest offer is not always the best offer, and the difference is not sentiment. It is the probability that the deal closes, on time, at the number on the page. An offer is a set of conditions under which a buyer may leave, and reading it well means reading those conditions.
This guide covers what to look at after the price, how the financing types differ in risk, and the terms worth trading for.
Compare offers on four things: your net after concessions, the strength of the financing, how many exits the buyer holds and for how long, and whether the closing date works for you. A slightly lower cash or conventional offer with a short inspection period and real deposit money often beats a higher one with a long financing contingency and a sale-of-home condition.
Four questions, in order
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Financing and contingencies
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Terms worth asking for
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What should make you cautious
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Two moments after acceptance
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If you have several, do not simply take the top number. Ask for highest and best with a deadline, compare written net sheets side by side, and weigh certainty explicitly. And follow one rule without exception: the same information goes to every buyer at the same time.
The bottom line
Pick the offer most likely to close at the number you agreed, not the one with the biggest headline. A deal that falls apart in week three costs you the market's attention as well as the time.
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