Receiving more than one offer on your home is a problem that every home seller wants to have. Sure, it’s certainly something to celebrate. But before you kick back and pop open the champagne, you have a decision to make. Going for the most money may seem like the obvious choice, but it’s not necessarily that easy. While it’s natural to be attracted to the offer with the highest price, it’s important to realize that the highest offer isn’t always the best offer. You might choose to accept a lower offer from a buyer who is better qualified or an offer with more appealing conditions.There are three important factors to consider when dealing with multiple offers:

Amount Offered

Of course the amount of the offer is important when deciding which buyer to go with, but you should also look at other aspects involved in the offer price, such as which potential buyer will be putting more money into the down payment. If you had two offers with the exact same price, the cash down payment amount might just be your deciding factor.

Buyers’ Financial Status

When doing business with someone it is necessary to know about financial status, and even though selling your home can be a personal, emotional experience, it is also the ultimate business transaction. You have the right to find out if the potential buyers are in good financial standing. You should also find out if they will be seeking a loan, and, if so, what kind of loan.

Contingencies

The final factor to consider when deciding which offer to accept is whether there are any contingencies involved. Does the buyer need to sell a home in order to close? Maybe there are other issues, such as inspections, that would hold up the sale for an extended period of time. Make sure you have all the information so you can weigh your options.

It may sound simple, but deciding which offer best suits your needs can be complicated. It might help to sit down and actually write out all of the elements involved in the sale and decide what is most important to you. Then create a list using those elements to compare the potential buyers. That way you can look at all of the significant factors involved, including the total amount offered for the property, the amount of the down payment, the closing date, any contingencies involved and the buyers’ financial standing. This will give you a straightforward comparison of the potential buyers and will show you their pros and cons.

Lastly, a word of caution: Don’t get overconfident and blow the deal. Consider each offer seriously, keeping in mind that it could be the only one.

Now sit back, relax and enjoy!