Compare Offers Beyond the Purchase Price

Put each offer on the same page

A higher purchase price can coexist with more financing uncertainty, a longer timeline, a credit request or broader contingencies. Build one worksheet with the exact offer price, earnest-money terms as stated, financing type and evidence, requested credits, contingency deadlines, closing date, possession terms and any inclusions or exclusions. Use the actual offer documents, not a verbal summary. Contract meaning and rights should be reviewed with the professionals appropriate to the transaction.

• Record every deadline exactly as written.
• Attach lender letters and requested amendments to the offer record.
• Flag terms that change the seller’s move plan or expense exposure.

Calculate proceeds separately

Use a current payoff statement and a settlement estimate to model each offer’s likely proceeds. Do not treat an offer price as net proceeds, and do not treat a buyer’s requested credit as a simple reduction without confirming how it is documented. IRS Publication 523 can help form federal tax questions for a qualified professional, but it does not convert an offer comparison into tax advice.

• Update the worksheet when a counteroffer changes a term.
• Separate known costs from estimates and unresolved questions.
• Ask the settlement professional which entries depend on final closing facts.

Choose from evidence, not certainty claims

There is no universal ‘strongest’ offer. A seller may prioritize timing, probability of closing, cash proceeds or another documented need. The purpose of this framework is to make tradeoffs explicit. It is not legal, lending or tax advice and does not recommend accepting any offer.