Offer night, decoded: how we negotiate when buyers compete

Holding offers, bully offers, sign-backs and the terms that matter as much as price. Here is how we run the room when more than one buyer wants your home.

Pricing and presentation get buyers through the door. Negotiation decides what you actually walk away with. When more than one buyer wants your home, the way the offers are handled can matter as much as the list price.

Holding offers to a set date

In a busy market we often set an offer date a few days after launch. Every buyer gets time to see the home, line up financing and do their homework, and they all submit at once. That puts the competition to work for you instead of rewarding whoever moves first.

Bully offers: gift or trap?

A bully offer is an early offer that asks you to decide before offer night. Sometimes it is strong enough to take. Often it is a buyer trying to buy the home before the competition shows up. We weigh it against the interest we are seeing, from showings and second visits to agents calling with questions, and help you decide whether to accept it, sign it back or hold your date.

Price is only half the offer

• Deposit: a bigger deposit signals a serious, prepared buyer.
• Conditions: financing, inspection and sale-of-property conditions can all unravel a deal, so a firm offer carries real value.
• Closing date: the right date can be worth thousands to your own move.
• Inclusions: appliances and fixtures are negotiable, so we trade them rather than give them away.

Sign-backs and the second round

When offers are close, we do not just pick one. We may sign back the strongest offer to improve the price or terms, or give competing buyers a fair chance to improve. It has to be handled carefully and honestly, because buyers who feel played walk away. Done well, it is often where the last stretch of value comes from.

Listing a home is easy. Winning the strongest price and the cleanest terms is the job.

When there is only one buyer

Not every home gets five offers, and that is when negotiation matters most. We find out what the buyer needs, whether that is timing, inclusions or certainty, protect your bottom line and trade terms instead of giving away price.

Thinking about selling? We will walk through your home, show you the sales around it and map out the offer strategy that fits your street.

Talk to us about your move →