When an offer comes in, the natural instinct is to look at the number first. That's understandable. It's also incomplete.

The headline price matters, but it's one component of the offer. Completion date, deposit, conditions, and structure can all affect the outcome as much as the price does — sometimes more.

Completion date

The completion date is when ownership legally transfers and the seller receives the funds. A higher offer that completes in 90 days may be less useful than a slightly lower offer that completes in 45, depending on your situation. If you're buying another property, the dates need to align. If you're carrying a bridge loan, every extra week costs money. If you need to be out by a specific date, a completion that doesn't work for your timeline creates problems regardless of the price.

Completion date is also negotiable in a way that buyers and sellers sometimes forget. It's worth discussing before an offer is finalized rather than treating it as fixed.

The deposit signals intent

A larger deposit isn't just a number — it signals that the buyer is serious and financially prepared. A small deposit on a high-priced offer can be a yellow flag. It doesn't necessarily mean the buyer can't complete, but it raises the question. In BC, the deposit is typically paid within 24 hours of subject removal and forms part of the purchase price at completion.

Conditions and what they actually protect

Most offers include conditions — financing, inspection, review of documents. These are there to protect the buyer, but they also create risk for the seller. A subject-free offer removes that risk entirely; the seller knows the deal will complete. A highly conditional offer introduces uncertainty about whether it closes at all.

Understanding what each condition actually covers helps you evaluate what you're accepting. A financing condition from a buyer who is pre-approved by a major bank is different from one where the buyer is still shopping for a lender. An inspection condition with a clear scope is different from one that's open-ended.

The full picture

When multiple offers come in, comparing them requires looking at all of these factors together. The highest-priced offer with the most conditions and the longest completion may not be the best offer. The second-highest offer that's clean, well-structured, and completes when you need it to might be.

Reading an offer properly means reading all of it — and understanding what each piece means for your specific situation.