Updated: October 26, 2026 · By Mark Dietel, Broker/Owner, Mark Dietel Realty · 7-minute read
Quick answer: When several offers arrive, Indiana law requires your agent to present every one and bars them from revealing you would take less without your written consent. If certainty matters most, lean toward cash or fewer contingencies; if price matters most, counter the strongest financed offer. Mark Dietel Realty lays these out side by side for Johnson County sellers.
What we analyzed: Indiana Code 25-34.1-10-10 (duties of a seller's agent) and the Indiana REALTORS Housing Hub report for Johnson County, September 2026.
Key takeaways
- Your listing agent must present every offer to you immediately upon receipt under Indiana Code 25-34.1-10-10.
- Financing, contingencies and appraisal terms decide whether a contract actually closes, so price is one line among several.
- Countering more than one buyer at the same time can create two binding contracts, so it needs careful wording.
This guide covers what to do once offers are in hand, with a Greenwood example and Johnson County figures. If you are still setting a list price, start with Should I Price My House Below Market in Greenwood, Indiana?
Do I have to tell buyers there are other offers?
You decide. Indiana law requires your listing agent to present every offer to you, but it does not require you to announce other offers to buyers. Many sellers tell buyers' agents that multiple offers exist, without sharing terms, so each buyer can decide whether to improve.
What your agent cannot do is share confidential information without your written consent. Under IC 25-34.1-10-10, a seller's agent may not reveal that you would accept less than your list price, or what is motivating your move. The simplest approach is to tell every buyer's agent the same thing at the same time.
Want this applied to your own house? Call Mark Dietel Realty at (317) 426-9911, or use the request button further down this page.
What is a "highest and best" request?
A highest-and-best request is a message from the seller's agent asking every buyer to submit their strongest price and terms by a set deadline. It does not bind the seller. Buyers get one chance to improve, and the seller then chooses, counters or declines.
It works best when offers are close together. In our experience, when one offer is clearly stronger, sellers usually counter or accept it, and a real deadline kept to the minute keeps every buyer on equal footing.
How do I compare offers beyond price?
Compare each offer on the terms that decide whether it will close: how it is financed, which contingencies it keeps, how much earnest money is offered, whether the buyer will cover an appraisal gap, and whether the closing date fits your plans. In our experience, a slightly lower offer with stronger terms often nets more.
Your agent should build a side-by-side comparison for you. Here is the checklist we use at Mark Dietel Realty:
How do I compare offers beyond price?
| Term | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The offered price and any escalation terms | The starting point, but only one line of the contract |
| Financing | Cash, conventional, FHA, VA or USDA; a written pre-approval from a named lender | Loan type affects the appraisal and repair requirements |
| Appraisal terms | Whether the buyer will cover part or all of a gap if the appraisal comes in low | Protects the price you accept |
| Inspection contingency | Full inspection, limited to major items, or informational only | Shapes how much renegotiation risk you carry |
| Earnest money | Amount and when it is due to the title company | Shows commitment; follows the contract if the buyer walks away |
| Home-sale contingency | Whether the buyer must sell a home first | Adds timing risk |
| Closing and possession | Closing date, possession date, any lease-back | Needs to line up with your next move |
Ask your agent for a written net sheet for your top offers. It turns price, concessions and prorated taxes into the number you actually walk away with.
Can I counter more than one offer at once?
Yes, but it takes care. If you send counteroffers to two buyers and both sign, you could end up with two binding contracts on one house. Sellers who do so add language making any acceptance subject to their final written confirmation.
Most of the time, a single path is cleaner: ask for highest and best, pick the strongest offer, and counter or accept only that one. A willing second buyer can sign on as a backup. Our post on what happens after you accept an offer in Indiana explains the steps that follow.
What does this look like in Central Indiana?
Here is a hypothetical Greenwood 46143 seller who lists at $299,900 and gets three offers by the review deadline. The table compares them on terms.
What does this look like in Central Indiana?
| Hypothetical offer | Price | Financing | Key terms | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offer A | $312,000 | FHA loan | Full inspection contingency; asks for seller concessions | Highest price, but concessions reduce the net and the appraisal carries more risk |
| Offer B | $308,000 | Conventional loan | Informational-only inspection; covers up to $5,000 of an appraisal gap | Protects the price if the appraisal comes in low |
| Offer C | $305,000 | Cash | 21-day close | Lowest price, lowest risk, fastest |
Once the net sheet subtracts Offer A's concession request, the gap between A and B narrows, and B protects the price if the appraisal lands near list. A seller who needs certainty might choose C; one who wants more money with reasonable risk might counter B. Your own net depends on your payoff, prorated taxes, title charges and your negotiated agent compensation (enter yours), which is negotiable and set in writing.
For context, Johnson County homes sold for about 96% of list price in September 2026, per the Indiana REALTORS Housing Hub. Our read: multiple offers still happen, but they are not the norm for every home.
When this doesn't apply
This guide assumes a standard owner-occupied sale with a listing agent. It may not apply to a court-supervised probate sale or a short sale, where a court or lender may control which offer can be accepted and when. It also does not cover builder contracts for new construction.
What to do next
Before offers arrive, decide what matters most: price, certainty or timing. Tell your agent so the message to buyers is consistent. When offers come in, ask for a side-by-side summary and a written net sheet for the top offers. If you are also buying, see How Do I Write a Winning Offer in a Bidding War in Indianapolis?
Prefer to talk? Call (317) 426-9911. Mark Dietel Realty has offices in Southside Indianapolis, Greenwood and Bloomington.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to respond to multiple offers?
Each offer in Indiana sets its own response deadline, written into the purchase agreement. If an offer expires before you respond, it is no longer open, though the buyer can resubmit. A set offer review time keeps deadlines lined up.
Can a buyer back out after I accept their offer?
A buyer can end the contract only as the contract allows, usually through a contingency such as inspection, financing or appraisal. If a buyer backs out outside those terms, the earnest money is handled as the purchase agreement states.
Should I take the cash offer?
Cash removes the lender's appraisal and loan approval, which lowers the risk of the deal falling through. Compare it with your best financed offer on a written net sheet, then decide what certainty is worth to you.
Is an escalation clause binding in Indiana?
An escalation clause is a term a buyer adds saying they will beat competing offers by a set amount, up to a cap. How it works depends on its exact wording in the purchase agreement or an addendum. Ask your agent to read it carefully, and a real estate attorney if anything is unclear.
Read next
- Should I Price My House Below Market in Greenwood, Indiana?
- How Do I Write a Winning Offer in a Bidding War in Indianapolis?
This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm your situation with a closing attorney, CPA or lender.
Mark Dietel Realty — offices in Indianapolis (Southside), Greenwood and Bloomington, Indiana.
Sources
- Indiana Code 25-34.1-10-10, duties of a licensee representing a seller: https://law.justia.com/codes/indiana/title-25/article-34-1/chapter-10/section-25-34-1-10-10/
- Indiana REALTORS Housing Hub, Johnson County Monthly Market Report, September 2026 (updated October 7, 2026): https://data.indianarealtors.com/viewreport/2/all/18081/
