Should You Accept the First Offer on Your Manteca Home?

Short answer: don't judge an offer by when it arrived. Judge it by what it says: the price, the terms, and how strong the buyer is. If it meets your goals, the first offer can be the right one. If it doesn't, you can counter or say no.

I'm Carolyn Cardoza, a Realtor and Broker Associate with Realty 1 Team in Manteca, California. I was raised here, and I've been selling homes here since 2007.

You list your home. An offer comes in. Then the question hits: "Should I take it, or wait for something better?" It's an exciting moment and a nerve-wracking one. Here is how I help my sellers think it through.

Sellers often tell me, "If one buyer made an offer, more must be coming." Sometimes that's true. Sometimes it isn't. Nobody can promise you a second offer, and nobody can promise you the first one is the best you'll see.

In my experience, buyers who make an offer early have often been watching the market for a while, and they're ready to move when the right house shows up. That's why I take a first offer seriously. I never dismiss it, and I never rush you into it either.

Look at what the offer is, not when it came in.

1. Price. Is it at your asking price, above it, or close enough to talk about? Price is the number everyone sees first, but it isn't the whole offer.

2. Terms. Terms matter just as much. Look at:

• The contingencies, which are the conditions that let a buyer back out or ask for changes
• The closing timeline, and whether it fits your plans
• How flexible the buyer is, for example if you need extra time to move out

3. The buyer. A strong buyer means a smoother sale. I look at the loan approval, the down payment and the buyer's overall financial strength. A high offer from a buyer who can't close is not a high offer.

Sometimes the best offer isn't the highest one. It's the one that actually closes.

• "What if I accept too soon?"
• "What if I leave money on the table?"
• "What if a better offer comes tomorrow?"

Those are fair thoughts. I don't brush them off. But I'd rather you decide from the facts in front of you than from worry about what might happen.

An offer isn't a yes-or-no question. You can:

• Accept it as written
• Counter it, asking for a different price or different terms
• Decline it

A counteroffer is a normal part of the process. If the price is close and the terms need work, we talk about what to ask for.

It may make sense to accept the first offer when:

• The price is where you hoped it would be
• The terms are clean
• The buyer is solid

When that happens, it's usually a sign the home was priced and presented well to begin with.

We don't rush, and we don't assume something better is coming. I put the offer on paper in plain words, and we ask one question: does this meet your goals? If it does, we move forward. If it doesn't, we decide together what to counter.

Should I wait for more offers?

Only if waiting makes sense for your goals and the offer in front of you doesn't meet them. Waiting can work. It can also cost you a good buyer. I'll tell you what I see on your specific house.

Can I counter the first offer?

Yes. You can accept it, counter it or decline it.

Is the highest offer always the best one?

No. Price, terms and the buyer's strength all count. I'll walk you through each one.

If you have an offer in hand and you're not sure what to do, call or text me. Tell me where you are with it, and I'll tell you what I'd do. No pressure here. I'd rather you get this right than get it fast.

I'm Carolyn Cardoza, a Broker Associate and REALTOR® with Realty 1 Team in Manteca. If you would like to talk it through, contact me. You can also read more about selling your home, how I sell a home or what happens between listing and closing.