A higher offer price does not answer every question that matters when selling your home. Compare what each proposal says you would receive, what could change that amount and which conditions remain unresolved. Keep missing information visible instead of treating it as a favorable term. Related: What a home value estimate and a cash offer range mean.
This worksheet helps you compare two actual proposals using the same questions. It separates documented terms, your own cost inputs and unanswered questions. It does not determine whether a contract is legally enforceable or predict whether either transaction will close.
Gather the same evidence for both offers
Put each proposal, its attachments and any later revisions together. Record the document date or version so you do not compare an updated proposal with an older one. Keep verbal explanations separate from terms you can locate in the documents.
For each entry below, use one of three labels:
- Documented: You can identify the supporting document and section.
- Seller input: This is your own estimate, preference or constraint.
- Unanswered: The proposal or available evidence does not resolve the question.
If a buyer describes a transaction as cash financed, record that as financing information. Cash financing alone does not establish inspection, appraisal or repair terms. Examine those provisions separately.
Fill in the offer comparison worksheet
Copy this table into a document. Add a document reference beside every confirmed term. Write “unanswered” wherever evidence is missing, rather than assuming there is no condition or deduction.
| Comparison item | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal version and supporting documents | ___ | ___ |
| Stated purchase price | ___ | ___ |
| Buyer deductions expressly listed | ___ | ___ |
| Seller credits or allowances requested | ___ | ___ |
| Seller costs expressly assigned in the proposal | ___ | ___ |
| Repairs or work requested before completion | ___ | ___ |
| Inspection condition and stated consequences | ___ | ___ |
| Appraisal condition and stated consequences | ___ | ___ |
| Financing condition, if present | ___ | ___ |
| Other conditions stated in the documents | ___ | ___ |
| Proposed timing and any conditions attached to it | ___ | ___ |
| Possession, move-out and property-clearance requirements | ___ | ___ |
| Documents supporting the buyer's stated ability to proceed | ___ | ___ |
| Unanswered questions requiring clarification | ___ | ___ |
For each condition, capture more than its name. Note what must happen, who is responsible and what the document says may follow if the condition is not satisfied. If those details are unclear, keep the entry unresolved and seek clarification or qualified interpretation before relying on it.
The distinction matters: “inspection mentioned” is less useful than identifying whether the proposal describes a possible repair request, price adjustment or another consequence.
Build a separate deductions ledger
Use this ledger for each offer. Its purpose is to identify amounts already included in your comparison and amounts that remain uncertain.
| Item | Amount entered by you | Evidence or basis | Status | Already counted elsewhere? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express buyer deduction | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Requested seller credit | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Seller-assigned transaction cost | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Cost of requested work | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Your other relevant selling costs | ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Unresolved possible adjustment | Unknown | ___ | Unanswered | ___ |
Add rows only for items relevant to your proposals and circumstances. A blank amount is not evidence that an item costs nothing. Avoid counting the same expense as both a deduction and a seller cost.
Use the selling cost calculator to compare estimated net proceeds with costs you enter. The public calculator requires no signup, and its results are estimates, not offers or appraisals. Keep the underlying ledger alongside the result so you can explain what you included.
Where an amount is unresolved, do not invent it to complete the calculation. Save a comparison using documented amounts and your identified estimates, then list the unknown separately. If you explore alternative inputs, label them as your assumptions rather than buyer commitments.
Record what would change your decision
Complete these prompts before deciding which proposal you prefer:
- My priority: The outcome that matters most to me is ___ because ___.
- My practical constraint: I need to account for ___ when considering timing, moving or requested work.
- My cost limit: I would need to reconsider if my own costs exceeded ___.
- My unresolved condition: I cannot compare the offers confidently until ___ is explained.
- My evidence requirement: Before relying on ___, I need ___ from the relevant party.
These answers make the comparison personal without turning a preference into a fact. For example, requested work may matter more to you if arranging it would be difficult. A proposed schedule may be less useful if its conditions conflict with your moving plans. Neither observation establishes that one offer will succeed.
Use the completed worksheet to choose the next step
Review the offers in three passes.
First, compare estimated net proceeds using the same cost categories. If one result appears better, check whether that difference depends on missing deductions or assumptions you have not verified. Related: Sell this winter or wait until spring? Compare costs, preparation....
Second, compare the conditions that could alter the amount, required work or proposed timing. Do not treat an unresolved provision as equivalent to a clearly documented one.
Third, compare both proposals with your priorities. An offer may deserve further consideration because its documented terms fit your needs, while another may need clarification before you can assess it fairly.
Your next step can be a focused question rather than a selection: “Where does this document explain the requested deduction?” or “What does this condition say happens after inspection?” Record the answer and its supporting document, then update the worksheet. Related: Repair or sell as-is: a worksheet for comparing real quotes.
For broader questions about buyer credibility and contract conditions, the cash offer checklist provides additional prompts. Keep this worksheet as your side-by-side record of the two proposals. You decide whether either is sufficiently clear and suitable to pursue, or whether to continue exploring your selling options.