What sellers are looking for in multiple offers today

The supply of homes for sale is still lower than demand… and that means multiple offers are still commonplace. I know I have buyers who were interested in two properties that sold quickly with multiple offers last weekend. Redfin reported that 60% of offers in February faced competition, and the level of multiple offers in March in our market was even higher than March 2023. If you are buying, be prepared for multiple offers.

What is the seller looking for in the winning bid? You may think it is price… but as important as price may be, that isn’t the most important thing. Given all the challenges in today’s market, including rising property taxes, insurance volatility, and tighter underwriting, the key question is…

Which offer is most likely to actually close?

Factors sellers are evaluating more and more closely in selecting the winning bid

Financing strength – this is critical, with a meaningful earnest money deposit and solid financing pre-approval or verification of funds if cash… possibly non-refundable earnest money after inspection
Appraisal risk – this is also critical, sellers want assurance that a low appraisal won’t stop a sale before it gets to closing… they look for appraisal gap protections
Inspection terms – while not as high as financing strength and appraisal risk, inspection terms are also important… sellers look for a tight inspection window, limits on post-inspection renegotiation
Closing timeline – sellers usually want certainty in a closing date… sometimes tight, but sometimes with flexibility for various reasons
Price – while price is important, it usually isn’t the dominant factor… rather than simply choosing the highest offer, sellers are more often selecting the overall strongest buyer

This is all well and good, but what is actually happening with accepted offers? Per Home Free Transaction Coordinators, below is what they are seeing so far this month.

Inside scoop on 182 accepted offers April 1-24, 2026