Q: I represent a buyer. My buyer submitted a full-price, cash offer. The listing broker told me that he timely presented the offer to the seller, but that the seller decided to accept another offer. I now see that the property sold for $10,000 less than the asking price. Is it legal for the seller not to accept my buyer’s full-price offer?
A: Yes. No one can ever force a seller to execute a contract, even if the offer contains all the requirements stipulated in a listing agreement. Remember, a seller’s decision is not always based on dollar amount alone, and therefore, it should not be evaluated in a vacuum. For example, perhaps the lower offer included an earlier closing date.