Updated October 2026. For sellers who just received an offer. NAR’s September 2026 figures were read on October 22, 2026.
When an offer is presented on your home, read the whole thing, not just the price. Check the deposit, financing, contingencies, closing date and who pays which costs. Then you have three choices: accept, counter or reject. Cash matters too. NAR says 27% of September 2026 sales were all-cash, and cash offers often close faster.
Jump to: 🤝 How offers arrive · 🪜 Terms to check · 💲 Your choices · ⏱️ After you accept · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- The best offer isn’t always the highest. Financing, contingencies and timing can matter more.
- Until you accept, the buyer can usually withdraw and get the deposit back.
- After acceptance, expect title, inspections, appraisal and the loan. The buyer gets the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing.
- The typical US home sold in 33 days in September 2026, per NAR, at a median price of $417,500.
Getting an offer feels great. It’s also the moment most of the money in your sale gets decided. Here’s how we’d read it, how to answer, and what comes next.
How is an offer presented to a seller?
Most offers arrive as a written purchase contract signed by the buyer. If the buyer has an agent, the agent sends it to you or your listing broker, often by email or an e-sign link. If the buyer has no agent, they may use a standard state form and send it to you directly.
With a Beycome listing, offers come into your dashboard with messaging and e-signature, so you can read, counter and sign online. The Artur AI assistant helps you compare offers on Basic and Enhanced. On Concierge, an expert reviews and negotiates for you, and you make every final call.
Every offer should have a response deadline. If it doesn’t, ask for one, and give yours on any counter. Our guide to offer letters shows what buyers send from their side.
What should you check in an offer besides the price?
| Term | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Price | The amount, and any credits you’d give back at closing. |
| Earnest money | How much, when it’s due, and who holds it. |
| Financing | Cash or loan, loan type, and the deadline for loan approval. |
| Appraisal | What happens if it comes in low. |
| Inspection | How many days, and whether the buyer can cancel. |
| Sale of buyer’s home | Whether the deal depends on the buyer selling first. |
| Closing date and possession | When you get paid and when you move out. |
| Costs | Who pays title, transfer taxes and any buyer-agent pay. |
Price
An offer at or near your asking price usually means you priced it right. A lower one may still win if the rest is strong. Maybe the buyer is paying cash, covering some closing costs, or closing on your timeline. If you’re a few thousand dollars apart, splitting the difference is common. Remember that every extra month on the market costs you a mortgage payment, taxes and insurance.
Earnest money
The buyer’s deposit is held by a third party, such as a title company or escrow agent, until closing. Then it’s usually credited to the buyer. Until you accept, the buyer can withdraw the offer and get it back. Once you accept, if the buyer backs out without a contract reason, you may be entitled to it.
Contingencies
These are the exits. A common one makes the purchase depend on the buyer selling their current home. Others cover the loan, the appraisal, the inspection or a survey. Fewer contingencies and shorter deadlines make an offer stronger.
Who pays the buyer’s agent
That’s in the offer too. You choose whether to pay any buyer-agent compensation, and how much. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Since August 17, 2024, offers of buyer-agent pay can’t be shown on the MLS. NAR’s seller guide says you can still offer it, or offer buyer concessions such as help with closing costs.
How do you respond to an offer on your house?
You have three choices.
- Accept the terms as written and sign. It becomes a contract once the buyer receives your signed copy.
- Counter by changing some terms and sending it back. A few rounds of counters are normal.
- Reject the offer. You can say why, or simply decline.
Keep every version in writing, with dates and both signatures on the final one. A verbal “yes” isn’t a binding real estate contract. Before you sign, you may want a real estate attorney to read it. Some states use attorneys at closing anyway.
Multiple offers
If several arrive, compare them side by side on the same terms. You can counter one, or ask all buyers for their highest and best by a set time. Be clear and fair in how you run it.
Backup offers
Once you’ve signed one offer, you can accept a backup, as long as that buyer knows the home is under contract. The backup only becomes active if the first deal falls through.
Buyers who can’t get a loan
Some buyers can’t qualify for a bank loan right away. Sellers sometimes offer owner financing, such as a land contract, where the buyer pays you over time and you hold the deed until it’s paid. If you later want a lump sum, some companies buy those contracts; one example is this sell my land contract page. Get an attorney to draft and document any such deal so it holds up if there’s a dispute.
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On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →Facing a cash buyer who wants a discount? Read the dos and don’ts of negotiating a cash offer.
What happens after you accept an offer on your home?
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Contract to title | The signed contract goes to the title company or closing attorney. |
| 2. Deposit | The buyer sends earnest money to escrow by the contract date. |
| 3. Inspection | The buyer inspects and may ask for repairs or a credit. |
| 4. Appraisal and loan | The lender orders an appraisal and works toward approval. |
| 5. Title search | The title company checks ownership and liens. |
| 6. Closing Disclosure | The buyer gets it at least three business days before closing. |
| 7. Closing | You sign the deed, funds move, the deed is recorded. |
Proving clear title
You must show you own the home and that no one else has a claim on it. A title search provides that proof, and an owner’s title insurance policy protects the buyer. Who pays for the title search depends on your contract and local custom. Our guides on who chooses the title company and title insurance explain the options.
Beycome Title closes sales in Florida ($99 settlement fee, prepaid) and Texas ($299). Starting November 1, 2026, it adds Michigan ($199), Ohio ($299), Illinois ($599) and Indiana ($199), with prepaid pricing at checkout.
The deed
At closing you sign a deed that transfers ownership to the buyer. Most buyers want a general warranty deed, where you promise no one will bring a claim against the title. If you spot a mistake in a recorded deed later, see how to correct a registered sale deed.
Closing costs
Expect your payoff, transfer taxes, title fees and prorated taxes. Our guide to who pays closing costs when selling breaks it down. The buyer’s lender must send the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing, per the CFPB, so watch that date.
Are you the buyer?
If you made the offer, your side has its own steps. See what to do after your offer is accepted and how to buy a house from an owner. Every buyer can join the Beycome buyer program with no upfront fee. Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of any buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. Our FAQ breaks down how much cash you need to close.
Not listed yet? A $99 flat fee MLS listing brings offers to your dashboard, with $0 at closing. Prefer experts at your side for the negotiation? Concierge is $999, offered for a limited time (list price $1,399), and you stay in control.
Home offer questions
What does it mean to present an offer?
It’s when the buyer, or their agent, delivers a signed written offer to the seller or the seller’s broker for review before a deadline.
What happens after you accept an offer on your home?
The contract goes to title, the buyer sends the deposit, then inspection, appraisal, loan approval and the title search, and finally closing.
Can a buyer back out after an offer is accepted?
Yes, through a contingency, such as inspection or financing, within its deadline. Backing out without a contract reason can cost the deposit.
Can I accept a backup offer?
Yes, if the backup buyer knows your home is under contract. It only takes effect if the first deal falls through.
Who pays for the title search?
It depends on the contract and local custom. In many areas the seller pays the owner’s title policy, but your contract decides.
How long do I have to respond to an offer?
Until the deadline written in the offer. If there isn’t one, set your own in your reply.
Prices as of October 2026. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; other closing costs, taxes, title and any agreed buyer-agent compensation still apply. Basic and Enhanced get offer help from the Artur AI assistant, not a person; a person negotiates only on Concierge. Concierge list price $1,399, offered at $999 for a limited time. Beycome Title: Florida and Texas today; Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana starting November 1, 2026.
The buyer credit needs lender approval. Contract rules vary by state; general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- NAR, existing-home sales for September 2026, released October 13, 2026.
- NAR, what the settlement means for home sellers, read October 22, 2026.
- CFPB, what is a Closing Disclosure, read October 22, 2026.
- Beycome Title, settlement fees, October 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
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