You finally find it.

The house has the right location, the right layout, and the features you've been searching for. You walk out of the showing thinking, "This is the one."

Then your REALTOR® calls the listing agent and discovers the sellers already have multiple offers—or expect to receive several before their deadline.

Now what?

After helping buyers throughout the St. Louis area since 2014, I've been through this scenario many times. And while there's never a guarantee that any particular offer will win, I've learned that competing successfully for a home involves much more than simply offering the highest price.

Price certainly matters. But so do timing, terms, contingencies, financing—and something buyers rarely think about: communication between the agents.

My Strategy Often Starts With a Phone Call

When I know one of my buyers may want to write an offer, one of the first things I do is call the listing agent.

I introduce myself, let them know my buyer is interested, and start asking questions.

I'm trying to learn as much as I appropriately can about the situation before we decide how to structure the offer.

For example, I may ask:

• What's most important to the seller?
• Is there a preferred closing date?
• Have you received any offers yet?
• Are any of the offers over the asking price?
• Is the seller committed to waiting until the stated offer deadline?
• Or would the seller consider accepting an offer early if the right one came along?

Listing agents can't always answer every question, and I completely understand that. They have a responsibility to their sellers and must protect confidential information.

But you'd be surprised how much useful information can come from simply having a professional conversation.

And sometimes those conversations help us make a better decision.

I Don't Necessarily Call Just Once

If showings have just begun and the offer deadline is a couple of days away, I may talk with the listing agent again.

Has anything changed?

Do they have offers now?

Is interest stronger than expected?

Is the seller still planning to wait until the deadline?

The situation surrounding a new listing can change very quickly.

An offer strategy that made sense Friday afternoon may need to be reconsidered by Saturday evening.

That's why I believe communication is so important.

Sometimes Speed Is the Strategy

Not every seller wants to spend an entire weekend reviewing offers.

That's another reason I ask whether the seller truly intends to wait until the published deadline.

Occasionally, the answer is essentially:

"If we receive an offer that makes sense, the seller may take it."

That's valuable information.

If my buyer loves the house, we may discuss whether it makes sense to put together our strongest comfortable offer and submit it quickly rather than waiting.

The key word there is comfortable.

I don't want a buyer agreeing to terms they'll regret simply because they're afraid of losing the house.

Instead, we'll discuss the risks and benefits and decide what they're genuinely willing to do.

Then, if speed appears to matter, we move.

I've had buyers win homes using this strategy.

Other Times, Patience Is Better

The opposite situation happens too.

The listing agent may tell me:

"The seller absolutely intends to review all offers Sunday evening."

Great.

Now we know.

There's little benefit to pressuring my buyer into making a rushed decision Saturday morning if the seller isn't making a decision until Sunday.

Instead, we can take the time to thoughtfully structure the offer.

That's why I don't believe there's one multiple-offer strategy that works for every property.

Our strategy should respond to the situation in front of us.

The Highest Price Doesn't Always Win

This surprises many buyers.

Imagine a seller receives these two offers:

One is $5,000 higher but includes several contingencies, requests seller concessions, has a financing situation that creates additional uncertainty, and proposes a closing date that isn't ideal for the seller.

The other offer is slightly lower but has strong financing, cleaner terms, and the exact closing date the seller wants.

Which one is better?

There isn't necessarily an automatic answer.

That's why sellers—and their agents—look at the entire offer.

When I'm helping a buyer compete, we're doing the same thing from the opposite side. We're looking for ways to make the offer attractive without asking my buyer to take risks they're uncomfortable taking.

Terms Can Be Powerful

Purchase price gets most of the attention, but other terms can make an offer more attractive.

Depending on the transaction, we may discuss things such as:

• Closing date
• Financing
• Earnest money
• Seller concessions
• Inspection terms
• Appraisal considerations
• Home sale contingencies
• Flexibility that might benefit the seller

That doesn't mean removing every protection from the contract.

I don't believe buyers should blindly waive important protections simply to win a house.

Instead, my job is to explain the options and potential risks so my buyers can decide what makes sense for them.

Understanding the Seller Can Help Us Build a Better Offer

This is one of the reasons I ask the listing agent about the seller's priorities.

Sometimes price is everything.

Sometimes it isn't.

Perhaps the seller is purchasing another property and needs a particular closing date.

Maybe they need additional time before moving.

Maybe certainty is more important than squeezing another few thousand dollars out of the transaction.

If we understand what matters to the seller, we can sometimes structure an offer that solves a problem for them while still protecting my buyer's interests.

That's real estate negotiation.

It's not always about asking, "How much more should we offer?"

Sometimes the better question is:

"How can we make this offer work well for both sides?"

Decide Your Limit Before Emotions Take Over

Multiple-offer situations can become emotional very quickly.

Once buyers hear the words "multiple offers," it's easy to feel like they're participating in an auction.

That's when I want us to slow down and talk about the numbers.

What is the home worth to you?

How much are you comfortable paying?

If someone else buys it for $5,000 more, will you be disappointed that you didn't offer more?

On the other hand, if you win at your maximum price, will you wake up the next morning feeling good about the decision?

Those are important questions.

Winning isn't really winning if you immediately regret the terms you agreed to.

A Strong Offer Starts Before You Find the House

One of the best things buyers can do is prepare before the perfect property comes along.

That means having financing in place, understanding your budget, discussing possible offer strategies with your REALTOR®, and knowing which contract terms you're comfortable with.

If a desirable home hits the market Friday afternoon and offers are already coming in Saturday, that isn't the time to begin figuring everything out.

Prepared buyers can make thoughtful decisions quickly.

And in a competitive situation, that can be a tremendous advantage.

Communication Behind the Scenes Matters

Buyers don't always see everything their agent is doing after the showing ends.

Some of the most important work may happen before an offer is ever written.

Calling the listing agent.

Asking questions.

Listening.

Following up.

Understanding the seller's priorities.

Watching how the situation develops.

Then taking all of that information and helping the buyer decide how they want to proceed.

I've seen this communication help many of my buyers successfully compete for homes over the years.

It doesn't guarantee we'll win.

Nothing can.

But I'd much rather submit an offer after gathering as much useful information as possible than simply guess what the seller might want.

Final Thoughts

Winning a multiple-offer situation isn't necessarily about being the buyer willing to pay the most.

It's about putting together the strongest offer you're comfortable making based on the information available.

Sometimes that means acting quickly.

Sometimes it means waiting.

Sometimes price makes the difference.

Sometimes terms make the difference.

And sometimes a conversation with the listing agent reveals something that changes our entire strategy.

My goal isn't simply to help my buyers "win."

It's to help them make a smart decision so that if their offer is accepted, they're excited about the home and comfortable with the agreement they made to get it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to offer over asking price in a multiple-offer situation?

No. Whether you should offer above asking depends on the property's value, competing interest, your budget, and how much the home is worth to you. List price alone doesn't determine market value.

Should I waive the home inspection to make my offer stronger?

Not automatically. Changing or waiving inspection protections can create meaningful risk. I prefer to discuss the available options and their potential consequences so buyers can decide what they're comfortable with.

Should I submit my offer immediately or wait until the deadline?

It depends. That's one reason I communicate with the listing agent. If the seller is willing to accept a strong offer before the deadline, speed may be valuable. If the seller intends to review every offer at a set time, we may have more time to develop our strategy.

Is the highest offer always accepted?

No. Sellers often evaluate financing, contingencies, closing date, inspection terms and other factors in addition to price. A slightly lower offer can sometimes be more attractive overall.

Can my REALTOR® find out what the other buyers offered?

Sometimes a listing agent may be willing and permitted to share certain information about the competitive situation, and sometimes they won't. I ask appropriate questions, respect what the listing agent can disclose, and use whatever information is available to help my buyer make an informed decision.