When a house receives more than one offer at the same time, the seller has full freedom to decide how to handle the negotiation — and the agents explain, in the episode, the criteria most commonly used in practice to choose among multiple offers in California.

The seller isn't obligated to do anything

By law, the property owner has no obligation to respond to any offer received. They can choose to respond to just one, ignoring the rest, or they can ask all interested parties to submit, within two or three days, their highest and best offer — and, even after that, they still have no obligation to accept any of them.

Cash vs. financed: which one weighs more?

According to the agents, the answer depends on context. One example mentioned: if an $800,000 house receives a cash offer of $800,000 and a financed offer of $815,000 ($15,000 more), with strong financing — a 20% to 30% or higher down payment and excellent credit — the difference in price can outweigh the extra risk of financing. Even so, the agents disagree on the minimum down payment percentage considered "strong": some cite 20%, others prefer 30% or more to consider it competitive against a cash offer.

Investigating the motivation behind the offer

A point reinforced by all the agents: cash offers don't always come with good intentions. According to them, it's common for investors — especially flippers, who buy to renovate and resell — to deliberately make high cash offers to win the initial competition, with the strategy of using the inspection phase to renegotiate the price down afterward. That's why understanding the real motivation of the buyer is part of the job of the agent representing the seller.

Calling the lender is common practice

Another practical recommendation from the agents: contacting the buyer's financial institution (the lender) directly to better understand that person's profile — whether they've tried to buy other houses before, whether it's their first attempt, the level of relationship between buyer and lender. It's considered best practice, not optional.

Sources and verification

• Explanation of the multiple-offer process, highest and best, and cash vs. financed comparison by the agents in the episode.
• Transcript of episode 5 of the Cadê Moradia podcast (March 2026).

This topic comes from the full episode — watch it:

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