By Paul Luxury Homes · October 21, 2026
An offer price is the most visible number in a home sale. It is not the entire decision. If you are selling in Chicago or the suburbs, a side-by-side comparison can help you understand what each proposal means for your proceeds, move, and next set of decisions.
Write down your priorities before offers arrive
Choose the questions that matter to your move: how much money you expect to retain, when you need to leave, how much scheduling flexibility you have, and what you need to understand before making a commitment. Rank those priorities for yourself. An offer that suits one seller's schedule may create expensive complications for another.
Freddie Mac's seller guidance identifies price, closing date, fee provisions, contingencies, and the response deadline as important offer terms. It also describes accepting, countering, or rejecting as possible responses. Ask your agent and attorney to explain the actual proposal and consequences before you respond.
Compare price after the requested credits
Here is a deliberately simplified example. Offer A is $350,000 and requests a $10,000 seller credit. Offer B is $345,000 and requests a $2,000 seller credit. Subtracting only those credits gives $340,000 for A and $343,000 for B. The higher headline price produces the lower figure in this limited comparison.
Those figures are hypothetical, not local offers or final net proceeds. Other costs, loan payoff amounts, taxes, adjustments, repairs, and contract terms can change the result. Ask the appropriate closing professionals for an itemized estimate based on the current proposals. Use consistent assumptions and label anything that is not confirmed.
Put the dates beside your moving costs
Record proposed closing and possession arrangements separately. Then map them against your next housing plan, moving arrangements, and any storage or temporary housing you may need. Ask what happens if a critical date changes rather than assuming the proposed schedule is guaranteed.
For each offer, write down one practical question: If this transaction closes on these terms, where will I be living and what will I need to pay during the transition? This keeps your decision connected to your real move instead of just the offer sheet.
Make the unknowns visible
List financing information, requested conditions, documents still needed, and any unresolved questions. Ask your agent which terms need clarification and your attorney which contract provisions require review. A cash label, a pre-approval letter, or an appealing date should not be treated as a guarantee of closing.
- Offer price and all requested credits or seller-paid items.
- Estimated proceeds using the same cost assumptions.
- Proposed closing and possession details.
- Financing and conditions requiring professional review.
- Response deadlines and unanswered questions.
Keep the comparison tied to your property
Use comparable homes and your property's condition to inform pricing discussions rather than a broad citywide average. Freddie Mac recommends comparing similar properties and asking an agent for a pricing analysis. Our local market reports provide context; they do not replace a property-specific review.
Bring the worksheet to a conversation with your team, explain which priorities you ranked highest, and decide what needs to be confirmed before the next response. You can also explore the seller hub while preparing.
Request a selling-plan consultation
Sources checked October 21, 2026: Freddie Mac: negotiating and accepting an offer; Freddie Mac: considering your home's sale price. Educational examples only. Your agent, attorney, lender, and closing professionals should confirm terms, costs, and obligations.