Navigating Multiple Offers: How to Choose the Best One (Not Just the Highest)
Getting multiple offers on your Seattle home is a great problem to have — but the highest number on the page isn't always the offer that actually nets you the most, or closes without a hitch. Evaluating offers well means looking past price to financing strength, contingencies, and timeline. TC Wu breaks down how to compare offers like a professional.
What to Actually Compare
Four factors that matter as much as — or more than — price.
How Solid Is the Buyer's Financing?
A higher offer backed by a shaky pre-approval is riskier than a slightly lower offer backed by full underwriting or cash. Ask your agent to compare each buyer's lender letter carefully — a fully underwritten "TBD" approval carries far less risk of falling through than a standard pre-qualification letter.
How Many Contingencies Are Attached?
Every contingency — inspection, financing, appraisal, sale of another home — is a point where a deal can fall apart or be renegotiated. An offer with fewer contingencies, or one where the buyer has proactively addressed risk (like offering to cover an appraisal gap), often represents a cleaner, more certain path to closing than a higher offer loaded with conditions.
Does the Closing Timeline Actually Work for You?
If you need extra time to find your next home, or need to close quickly for a job relocation, the ideal closing date can matter as much as price. A buyer offering a flexible closing date or a rent-back period after closing can be more valuable to your specific situation than a slightly higher offer with a rigid timeline.
Calculate True Net Proceeds, Not Just Sale Price
Requests for seller-paid closing costs, repair credits, or other concessions can meaningfully change what you actually walk away with, even on a nominally higher offer. Always ask your agent to calculate the estimated net proceeds for each offer — the number after concessions, not just the headline sale price.
"I've seen sellers take the second-highest offer and end up better off, because it had stronger financing and fewer contingencies. Price grabs your attention first, but it's rarely the whole story once you look closely at the full offer package."— TC Wu, WPI Real Estate | Top Seattle Realtor
Sample Offer Comparison
Illustrative example — why the highest offer isn't automatically the best.
| Offer | Price | Financing | Contingencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offer A | $900,000 | Standard pre-approval | Inspection, financing, appraisal |
| Offer B | $885,000 | Fully underwritten | Inspection only; appraisal gap covered |
| Offer C | $870,000 | Cash | None |
Your Multiple-Offer Evaluation Checklist
Five steps to compare offers like a professional.
Verify Each Buyer's Financing Strength
Have your agent confirm underwriting status directly with each buyer's lender, not just review the pre-approval letter.
Read Every Contingency Carefully
Compare not just how many contingencies each offer has, but how each buyer has proactively addressed risk.
Match Timeline to Your Real Needs
Get clear on your own ideal closing date and flexibility before comparing offers against it.
Get a Net Sheet for Your Top Offers
Calculate true net proceeds after any requested concessions before making a final decision.
Consider Countering Instead of Simply Choosing
You aren't limited to picking from what's on the table — a counteroffer can sometimes improve your best option's terms further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common multiple-offer questions answered by TC Wu.
Get Expert Help Comparing Your Offers
Let TC Wu walk you through every offer's true value — not just the number on the page.
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