13/07/2026
Multiple offers on a home? Here's the truth nobody puts in the brochure.
Every seller dreams of the day their agent calls with "we've got multiple offers." It feels like winning. But here's what I always tell my clients before the celebration starts: the highest number on the page is not automatically the best deal in the room.
I've watched a seller take the biggest offer, only to sit six weeks later back at square one — the buyer's bond fell through, the bank's valuation didn't match, and the "winning" offer was never going to make it to registration in the first place. Meanwhile the second-highest offer, the one with a solid deposit and no complications, would've been transferred by then.
So what actually separates a good offer from a great-looking one?
🔹 Is the buyer cash, or bond-dependent — and do they have pre-approval, or just a hope?
🔹 How big is the deposit?
🔹 Are there conditions attached (selling their own home first, subject to bond approval)?
🔹 Is their attorney already appointed and ready to move?
🔹 Does the occupation date actually work for you?
And a harder truth: not every agent handles multiple offers the way they should. It's still possible in this market to hear about a "rival offer" that conveniently appears the moment you hesitate. South Africa's Property Practitioners Act has tightened things up considerably, but transparency in a multiple-offer situation still comes down to the agent you trust with it. Every offer should be presented to you, in writing, full stop.
At the end of the day, choosing an offer isn't about ego or the biggest headline number — it's about which one actually gets you to the registration table with the least drama.
If you're navigating multiple offers on your home (or want a second opinion before you sign), I'm always a message away. 📩
