Should You Call a Seller’s Bluff If They Say Another Offer Is Coming in on a House You Want to Buy?
The Lighter Side of Real Estate • July 16, 2023
It’s not uncommon for home buyers to feel they’re being lied to when they’re told there’s another offer coming in on a house they want to buy, no matter what the current real estate market is like.
But considering you’ve probably been hearing that houses are taking longer to sell, prices are coming down, and there are fewer buyers to compete with, it might seem even more suspicious if you’re told there’s another offer on a house you want to buy right now.
All of that is true in many areas, so an offer mysteriously coming in on a house you want to buy is even more unbelievable when the one you have your eyes on has been on the market for some time. It’s like, how in the world did someone else randomly decide to make an offer on this house when it’s been on the market 87 days? Where have they been? Why now? Do they even really exist, or is the seller bluffing?
If you find yourself in that position, it’s natural to be skeptical. It’s always possible that a seller (or their agent) is bluffing, and a little skepticism isn’t the worst thing in the world, especially when you’re deciding on how much to offer on what is typically the largest purchase most people make in their lives.
But the reality is, it’s not uncommon for another offer (or several others!) to come in at the same time you decide to make an offer on a house, even if it’s been on the market for a while.
Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to ask for — and actually get — “proof” of another offer. You just have to trust what you’re being told, and your gut.
Here’s Why It’s Probably Not a Bluff
Fortunately, there are a few reasons why the seller and their agent probably aren’t bluffing…
- An agent could get in trouble for lying. Between the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics (which most agents adhere to), as well as state and national real estate rules and regulations established to protect the consumer, most agents wouldn’t risk losing their license by lying about the existence of another offer.
- It could hurt their reputation. Besides legal trouble, most agents wouldn’t want to damage their reputation — which could cost them future clients and business — for the sake of creating urgency on one listing.
- It could hurt their seller. If they bluff it might cause a buyer to disappear either because they simply want to test and see if there truly is another offer, or just don’t want to get involved in a bidding war. If the buyer doesn’t come in with an offer and the seller’s agent has to push for them to submit one because the other offer didn’t come in, or never truly existed, they have lost leverage and negotiating power.
- Sometimes it isn’t so much a lie, as it is a heads up. A lot of times there may not actually be an offer in writing, but the listing agent knows there’s another buyer interested in making one. There’s nothing wrong with the listing agent letting other interested parties know there’s another offer potentially coming in, or already received, in order to make sure everyone who’s interested has a fair chance at making an offer before they accept one.
- A property you like is likely to appeal to another buyer. No matter how few buyers are in the market, there’s always a chance there’s at least another buyer actively looking for a house in your area and price range. And if you like a house, there’s a good chance anyone else in the price range will see the value in it as well.
Here Are Your Options for Dealing With a Potential “Phantom” Offer
First and foremost, if you’re being told there’s another offer on a house you want to make an offer on, your agent will likely ask the listing agent how they’ll handle the process. The listing agent will guide them by telling them whether they want you to submit your “best and final” offer right up front, or if they want an initial offer and plan on coming back to everyone with a chance to improve it or negotiate further.
Ask your agent how he or she feels about the existence of another offer. Your agent should have a good understanding of the current market activity, and a sense about whether they can trust what the other agent is saying, based upon their experience in the field.
Depending upon how you and your agent feel after assessing, you can:
- Call their bluff and not submit an offer. If you’re really confident that there truly isn’t another offer, you could tell them you’ve decided not to make an offer and hope that they change their tune and more or less beg you to come in with an offer. But this is extremely risky, because if there is another offer, you’re not going to even be in consideration and could lose out on having a shot at getting it. It could be really disappointing to see the house sold to someone else, especially if it’s for less than you were willing to pay for it.
- Make an offer as if there isn’t another one. If you’re not entirely convinced that there’s another offer, you can always make an offer that you’d ideally make if there wasn’t another offer coming in. In other words, make an offer that isn’t your highest or best terms and try to get the best deal possible. The downside to doing this is it could hurt your chances by making you look less serious or as strong as the other buyer if another one exists, even if you do eventually improve your price and terms.
- Submit a strong offer you feel good about, whether you get the house or not. Your best (and safest) bet is to just make the strongest offer you feel comfortable making. Make an offer that you’d feel happy having paid to get the house if they accept your offer, and wouldn’t regret if another buyer did exist and their offer ended up being chosen over yours. This way you’re in the mix and will feel like you’ve at least given it your best shot.
The Takeaway:
When you’re told there’s another offer coming in on a house you’re interested in buying that’s been on the market for a while, it’s easy to wonder if it’s true, or a bluff. But it’s even more difficult to believe in the current market where houses are supposedly taking longer to sell, prices are coming down, and there are fewer buyers to compete with in many areas!
Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to get “proof” of another offer. You just have to trust your gut, and what you’re being told. Fortunately, it’s risky for a seller or their agent to lie about the existence of another offer, so it’s probably not a bluff.
While you can call their bluff and either not make an offer at all, or make one that isn’t your strongest or best, your safest bet is to make the strongest offer you feel comfortable making.
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Are Big Investors Really Buying Up All the Homes? Here’s the Truth. It’s hard to scroll online lately without seeing some version of this claim: “Big investors are buying up all the homes.” And honestly, if you’re a homebuyer who’s lost out on a few offers, that idea probably sounds believable. When homes are expensive and competition is tight, it’s easy to assume giant companies are scooping everything up behind the scenes. But here’s the thing: what people assume is happening and what the data actually shows aren’t always the same. Let’s look at what’s really happening with large institutional investors in today’s housing market – because the numbers tell a much different story than the headlines. The Number Most People Won’t See Online Let’s start with the most important stat. According to John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC), large institutional investors – those that own 100 or more homes – made up just 1.2% of all home purchases in Q3 of 2025 (see graph below): That’s it. Out of every 100 homes sold, only about 1 went to a large institutional investor. And here’s an important point that often gets missed: that level of investor activity is very much in line with historical norms. It’s not unusually high, and it’s actually well below the recent peak of 3.1% back in 2022 – which itself was still a small share of the overall market. So, while it can feel like big investors are everywhere, nationally, they’re a very small part of overall home sales. Why Investor Activity Gets So Much Attention There are two main reasons this topic gets so much attention: Investor activity isn’t spread evenly. Investors are more active in certain markets, which can make competition feel intense for homebuyers in those areas. As Lance Lambert, Co-Founder of ResiClub, explains:“On a national level, “large investors”—those owning at least 100 single-family homes—only own around 1% of total single-family housing stock. That said, in a handful of regional housing markets, institutional and large single-family landlords have a much larger presence. ” Investor is a broad term. Part of what makes the share of purchases bought by investors sound so big is because many headlines lump large Wall Street institutions together with small, local investors (like your neighbor who owns one or two rental homes). But those are very different buyers.In reality, most investors are small, local owners, not massive corporations. And when all investors get grouped together in the headlines as a single stat, it inflates the number and makes it seem like big institutions are dominating the market (even though they’re not). Yes, big investors exist. Yes, they buy homes. But nationally, they’re responsible for a very small share of total purchases – far smaller than most people assume. The bigger challenges around affordability have much more to do with supply, demand, and years of underbuilding than with large institutions competing against everyday buyers. That’s why it’s so important to separate noise from reality, especially if you’re trying to decide if now is the right time to move. Bottom Line If you want to talk through what investor activity actually looks like in our local market, and how it impacts your options (or doesn’t), let’s connect. Sometimes a little context makes all the difference.
It’s a new year, and if buying a home in 2026 is on your mind, there’s one simple piece of advice worth hearing first: get started now. Not in March. Not in spring. Not “when the weather gets better.” Now. Why? For starters, buying a home takes time. A recent Realtor.com article suggests getting started at least six months before you plan to close. That doesn’t mean starting in January automatically puts you on track for a June closing. In fact, if you get started now, there’s a good chance you could be in a home much sooner than that. On the flip side, even if you don’t plan to move until later in the year, beginning the process early still puts you in a far stronger position when you’re ready to make offers. You’re almost always better off starting sooner rather than later. There’s a lot involved beyond simply finding a house you like. Financial preparation, getting pre-approved for a mortgage, understanding what you can truly afford, getting a handle on the existing inventory, touring homes, writing offers, negotiating terms, and finally closing — all of that takes time. And that’s before factoring in local competition and inventory. But as we head into this new year, there’s another reason starting early matters even more — and it has everything to do with what’s happening in the market right now… It’s Finally a Buyer’s Market in Many Areas… But It Might Not Last One of the biggest reasons to begin in January is where the market stands right now. In many areas, conditions are unusually favorable for buyers — and that’s not something to assume will stick around. According to recent housing market data , there were roughly 37% more sellers than buyers across the U.S. in November 2025, one of the largest gaps on record going back to 2013. A gap that large can give buyers more negotiating power. It often leads to more options, more time to consider choices, and greater leverage when it comes to price, terms, and requests for seller concessions. But that gap can easily close. Many buyers put off looking for a home until the spring market “officially” begins. That’s in quotation marks because there really is no official date for when the spring market begins. But at some point in the next few months, there will likely be a surge of buyers entering the market. When that happens, competition will increase and many of the advantages buyers enjoy early in the year will likely begin to shrink. Buyers who wait may find themselves facing more multiple-offer situations, tighter negotiations, and less room to ask for concessions. Getting started in January doesn’t just give you a head start — it gives you a shot at taking advantage of conditions that may look very different just a few months from now. The First Thing to Do After the First of the Year If you’re even just thinking about buying a home in 2026, the most productive first step after the new year isn’t scrolling listings or heading out to open houses — it’s having a conversation with a local real estate agent. National headlines are helpful for understanding broad trends, but real estate is extremely local. Conditions can vary dramatically from one city to the next, from one neighborhood to another, and even from one price range to another within the same town. An agent can walk you through what inventory looks like right now, how competitive buyers are in your target price range, and whether sellers are negotiating or still holding firm. They can also help you come up with a timeline and strategy based upon your personal situation and the current market conditions. The Takeaway: Buying a home almost always takes longer than people expect. That’s why many experts recommend starting the process at least six months before you plan to move. That doesn’t mean it has to take that long — plenty of buyers find and close on a home much sooner. But it does mean that giving yourself time is rarely a bad idea. Starting as early in the year as possible is always smart, but starting early in 2026 may be even smarter. With roughly 37% more sellers than buyers — the largest gap we’ve seen since 2013 — today’s market is offering buyers opportunities that may not last once more people jump in later this year. Waiting until spring could mean more competition and fewer advantages than buyers see right now. If you’re even thinking about buying in 2026, getting the ball rolling in January can put you in a much stronger position. And the best first step isn’t browsing listings — it’s talking with a local real estate agent who can explain what’s happening in your market, help you set realistic.
Most homeowners who consider adding solar panels are thinking about a few common goals: They’re environmentally conscious and want to reduce their carbon footprint. They’re looking to save on rising utility costs. They believe solar will increase the value of their home when they sell it. But how they think about paying for the installation is an entirely different conversation. If you have enough cash saved up, are willing to take out a home improvement or solar loan, or have access to other financing options (HELOCs, personal loans, etc.), you can buy and own the system outright. For many homeowners, though, that upfront cost feels daunting — which is exactly why leasing a solar system has become so popular. Solar companies often make leased systems sound almost irresistible: little or no money down, monthly payments that are offset by anticipated savings on your electric bill, and assurances that a future buyer will assume the lease with ease. Many sales pitches even imply that simply having solar is a selling point and adds value to the home. But whether you already took a solar company up on a lease offer, or are considering doing so, you may want to think about how that could impact whether or not your future buyer can buy your house when you go to sell. Some Lenders Will Treat Leased Solar Panels Like Debt One of the more common concerns people raise about how solar panels will impact the future resale of a home is in terms of aesthetics. Some buyers simply don’t like how they look and won’t consider a home with them, which can obviously impact the number of buyers your home will appeal to, and potentially the selling price. However, a leased system can create another issue that goes beyond preference: it can affect whether they can buy your home at all. When a buyer applies for a mortgage, lenders look closely at their financial obligations. Depending on the situation, some mortgage underwriters will treat a leased solar system like a monthly debt payment because the buyer must take over that contract as part of buying the house. So even if your future buyer loves the fact that you have solar panels installed, the lease payments can still count against their debt-to-income ratio (DTI) — one of the core metrics lenders use to determine how much a buyer can borrow. If the lease payment pushes their DTI too high, they might not qualify for the mortgage amount they need, or in some cases, prevent them from qualifying at all. Some lenders and loan programs are more flexible than others, but there’s always a risk that a lease payment can be counted against the buyer’s ability to qualify for the home price you want in certain underwriting scenarios. It’s also worth noting that appraisers typically don’t assign value to leased equipment the way they do for owned solar. If a buyer doesn’t own the panels, an appraiser generally won’t add dollar value to the home based on their presence alone, which may impact the value you and your buyer agreed upon, forcing price renegotiations. What to Do Before Installing a Leased Solar Panel System If you’re still in the decision-making stage — or even if you already have solar installed — and you’re thinking about the resale of your home, it’s worth getting informed before moving forward. One helpful resource many homeowners aren’t aware of is this consumer advisory from the U.S. Department of the Treasury that outlines what to consider before installing solar panels. It covers financing options, ownership vs. third-party arrangements, tax credits, and — importantly — how solar systems can interact with loans and future home sales. It’s a neutral, plain-English guide designed to help homeowners understand the long-term implications of their choices, not just the short-term savings pitch. Reading through guidance like that can help you ask better questions, spot potential red flags in contracts, and understand how different solar arrangements may affect you later, but speaking with a local real estate agent can also be extremely helpful. An agent doesn’t sell solar, and they don’t benefit one way or another from how you finance it — which makes their perspective especially useful. They can help you understand how leased systems are typically received by buyers and lenders in your market, whether similar homes with solar have faced financing hurdles, and what impact (if any) a lease might have on your buyer pool or sale timeline. Real estate is hyper-local. What works seamlessly in one neighborhood or price range may create friction in another. Before installing solar — or before listing a home with a leased system already in place — having an agent weigh in can help you avoid surprises and make decisions that align with both your lifestyle goals and future resale plans. Sometimes, a quick conversation upfront can save you from a much bigger headache later. The Takeaway: Leasing a solar panel system often sounds easier and more appealing than paying outright for it to be installed. However, when you lease, lenders might treat that monthly obligation as debt, which can affect a future buyer’s ability to qualify. If resale matters — whether next year or years down the road — understand your lease terms, explore buy-out or ownership options, and consult with a local agent before installing or listing.
