You Got One Offer. Should You Take It, Counter It, or Wait?

If you received one offer on your Inland Empire home and aren't sure what to do, here's the short answer: In a market where more than half of Riverside County homes are selling below asking price, one serious offer is not a weak signal — it's the market working. What you do next depends on the price, the terms, and an honest read of your odds of getting another one.

You've been on the market for a while. Showings have slowed. And then it comes in — one offer. Maybe it's close to what you wanted. Maybe it's not. Either way, you're now standing at the decision that matters more than almost any other in a real estate transaction: take it, push back, or wait?

This is the moment where sellers either make a smart, data-driven call — or let emotion run the show and pay for it.

In Riverside County right now, homes are averaging 59 days on market countywide per FRED data through June 2026. That means if you got an offer, the buyer took their time and they chose your house. That's worth something. But it also means you need to be strategic, not emotional, about what comes next.

Here's how to think through it.

What One Offer Is Actually Telling You

Before you react to the number, understand what the offer represents.

Buyers right now have options. Zillow shows nearly 9,700 active listings across Riverside County, and buyers at the current 6.55% rate (Freddie Mac, July 16, 2026) are moving carefully. They're not rushing. When someone submits an offer after sitting in that environment, they've already compared your home to everything else available in Menifee, Perris, Moreno Valley, and beyond. They chose to write on yours.

That's a motivated buyer.

It doesn't mean you have to accept whatever they put in front of you. But it does mean you're not dealing with someone fishing. A submitted offer is real intent, and you should treat it that way.

Read the Whole Offer, Not Just the Price

This is where sellers get tripped up. The purchase price is one line item in a contract that has many. Before you decide anything, look at the full picture.

Down payment and financing. A buyer putting 20% down with a conventional loan is a different risk profile than someone at 3.5% FHA. The higher the down payment, the less likely the deal falls apart over an appraisal gap or financing hiccup.

Contingencies. How long is the inspection period? Is there a loan contingency? An appraisal contingency? Longer windows mean more time for the deal to unravel. Shorter windows, or contingency waivers, add certainty on your side.

Closing timeline. Does it work for you? A 30-day close when you need 45 is a problem. A 60-day close when you wanted 30 is also a problem. Timeline mismatches are often more negotiable than sellers realize.

Requests. Are they asking you to pay closing costs? Cover repairs? Leave appliances? Each of those items has real dollar value attached. For a deeper look at how seller concessions work and when they actually make sense, this breakdown covers it directly.

Once you've read the full offer, you'll have a much clearer picture of what you're actually being asked to agree to.

The Three Decisions: Take It, Counter It, or Wait

When It Makes Sense to Take It

You should seriously consider accepting if:

• The price is within 2–3% of your list price and your list price was realistic to begin with. Zillow's data shows a 99.5% sale-to-list ratio countywide — but that average masks an important reality: 52.5% of homes are selling below asking and only 30.6% are selling above it. The sellers clearing at or above ask are the ones who priced accurately from the start.
• The terms are clean: strong financing, reasonable contingency windows, a timeline that works.
• You've been on the market more than 45 days and showing activity has dropped off.
• You priced your home accurately when you listed. If you started aggressive, one offer close to list is confirmation the market has told you what it thinks.

Holding out for a better offer is a gamble. It's not always the wrong one. But it needs to be treated like what it is.

When to Counter

Counter when there's a specific gap you can close without torching the deal.

The most common counters worth making:

• Price. If the offer is more than 3–4% below list and your pricing was grounded in real comps, a counter on price is reasonable. Keep it tight — countering to split the difference rather than going back to full list shows you're serious about transacting.
• Closing costs. If the buyer is asking you to cover $10,000 in closing costs but the price is acceptable, you can counter by reducing the concession or building the net into the price instead.
• Timeline. If the close date doesn't work, this is usually an easy fix. Most buyers have flexibility here.

What you don't want to do is counter on three or four things at once. Pick what actually matters to you and let the rest go. A counter that feels like a negotiating tactic rather than a genuine ask gives buyers a reason to walk.

When Waiting Makes Sense — and When It Doesn't

Waiting for another offer makes sense in two scenarios: you're still in your first two weeks on market and showing activity is strong, or the offer you received is genuinely well below what comparable sales support.

Outside of those two situations, the math gets uncomfortable fast.

In a market where homes are averaging 59 days on market countywide, rejecting an offer without countering resets the clock. If it takes another 30, 45, or 60 days to get the next offer, you've paid carrying costs — mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities — for that entire stretch. On a $635,000 home (the Riverside County median per CAR, June 2026), those costs can run $3,000–$5,000 a month or more. That's real money against the gap you were trying to close.

There's also the listing perception problem. The longer a home sits, the more buyers wonder what's wrong with it. A listing that went under contract and fell through once is one thing. A listing that's been available for 90 days and counting starts to feel like a liability to buyers browsing the market. Protecting against that stigma is part of selling without slashing the price.

The Counter-Offer: Keep It Simple

If you're going to counter, be direct and be reasonable.

Sellers sometimes counter as though the negotiation is just beginning and they have all the leverage. In a market like this one, that's usually not the case. You're not in a multiple-offer situation. You're negotiating with the one buyer who showed up.

Go back with one clear ask. Maybe it's coming up $8,000 on the price. Maybe it's reducing the seller credit from $10,000 to $5,000. Maybe it's shortening the inspection contingency window from 17 days to 10.

Make it easy for them to say yes. The goal is a signed contract, not a win.

The Emotional Trap — and How to Avoid It

The hardest part of this decision is often personal.

You know what you paid for the home. You know what you've put into it. You have a number in your head that feels right. When an offer comes in below that number, it can feel like an insult rather than a transaction.

That reaction is completely understandable. It's also one of the most expensive mistakes sellers make.

The buyer doesn't know your history with the house. They know what else is on the market, what they can afford at 6.55%, and what the comparable sales tell them. They built their offer from that data, not from your renovation costs or your memories.

The question to ask yourself isn't "is this offer fair?" It's "what does this offer cost me to reject?" That's a different calculation, and it often leads to a different decision.

If you want to know whether your list price was positioned correctly in the first place, this guide on pricing strategy is a good place to start.

FAQ

How long do I have to respond to an offer? In California, sellers typically have 24–72 hours to respond, and the timeframe is usually specified in the offer itself. Most buyers set a 24 or 48-hour response window. You're not obligated to respond within that time, but letting the deadline pass without countering or accepting effectively kills the offer. If you need more time, communicate through your agent.

What if the offer is well below market value? Counter rather than reject outright. A low offer from a motivated buyer is still a live lead. Counter at a number that reflects actual comparable sales — not your wishlist, but what the data supports. If they don't respond or come back too low again, you have more information about whether this buyer is serious.

Can I negotiate on terms instead of price? Absolutely, and often it's the smarter play. Asking the buyer to reduce their closing cost request by $8,000 costs you the same as dropping the price by $8,000 — but framing it as a concession adjustment rather than a price cut can be easier for both sides to agree to. The net result to you is the same either way.

What are my odds of getting a second offer if I reject this one? There's no guarantee, and in this market you should plan as if there isn't one. With homes averaging 59 days on market countywide and over half selling below asking price, the next offer is not around the corner by default. Holding out makes sense when there's real evidence of continued buyer interest — active showings, recent inquiries — not just hope.

Should I let the buyer know I have no other offers? Never volunteer that information. Your agent will handle the negotiation without disclosing your position. You can respond to the offer with confidence regardless of what else is or isn't happening on the market.

What if the offer is contingent on the buyer selling their home first? This is called a contingent offer, and it adds risk and timeline uncertainty to your deal. It's not automatically a dealbreaker, but you'll want to know how far along the buyer's sale is, how long their contingency window is, and whether you'd be allowed to continue marketing your home while under contract. Your agent can help you structure the response to protect your position.

Ready to Make the Right Call?

One offer is a moment of clarity, not a crisis. The sellers who handle it best are the ones who read the full contract, run the real numbers, and make a decision based on data rather than emotion.

If you're sitting on an offer right now and want a second set of eyes before you respond, let's talk.

Call or text Chris Leeper at 951-741-5311 or visit linktr.ee/leeperrealtygroup.

Who you work with matters.

Chris Leeper, REALTOR®, DRE #01881634, Brokered by eXp Realty of California, Inc.

Sources

• Riverside County Housing Market — Home Values & Trends | Zillow
• Riverside County Home Prices Hold Steady as Home Sales Increase in June | NBC Palm Springs (CAR data)
• Primary Mortgage Market Survey — July 16, 2026 | Freddie Mac
• Riverside County Days on Market — June 2026 | Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)