Are you selling your home and reviewing several offers? Congratulations! You’re well on your way to getting as much as possible out of what is likely your largest asset.

But when it comes to picking an offer, sometimes it’s important to take a step back and recognize that your bottom line shouldn’t be your only consideration.

In many instances, the terms a potential buyer includes in the offer also play an important part. They can underscore how many hurdles you’ll have to clear to reach the closing table in a timely matter. So every seller should carefully review an offer—beyond the dollar amount—before settling on a buyer.

To help you navigate all this, we’ve outlined four important factors that home sellers should look for in an offer. Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the best one.

1. Research your preferred financing method

As a seller, you probably have an offer amount in mind that you would like the buyer to meet or exceed. But remember, a buyer needs to prove that he can afford to make the purchase—no matter what numbers are thrown around in an offer.

“If the buyer intends to get a mortgage, there should always be a pre-approval letter included in an offer on their lender’s letterhead,” says Don Norris, an agent with Keller Williams Realty in Ocala, FL.

And if a potential buyer makes a cash offer, ask for proof of funds before accepting it. This proof will usually come in the form of a bank or investment account statement. Each should show that the buyer has the funds necessary to complete the transaction.

Need to sell your home in a hurry? Then you may prefer an all-cash offer. This type of offer usually involves less risk and a shorter escrow period as cash eliminates waiting for a buyer’s full mortgage approval.

But seller beware: All-cash buyers have negotiation power. And they will generally want something in return for bringing a bag of money to the sale. For instance, they could offer you less than the asking price. So be sure to weigh the cons against the pros before accepting an all-cash offer over a buyer with a mortgage.

2. Look for a larger earnest money deposit

Next, you may want to pick an offer with a sizable earnest money deposit, also known as a good-faith deposit. This is a sum of money that a buyer entrusts to the seller’s brokerage firm to prove that he is serious about purchasing the home.“A deposit that’s worth 1% to 2% of the sale price is normal,” says Kseniya Korneva, a real estate team leader of the Korneva Home Group of Pineywoods Realty in Tampa, FL. “But the higher the deposit, the stronger the offer.”

The buyer’s earnest money deposit goes toward the down payment if he eventually closes on the home. On the other hand, if the buyer breaks the contract and walks away from buying the home, you can potentially keep the deposit as a consolation.

3. Consider fewer contingencies

In real estate, contingencies are benchmarks buyers set that need to be met for the transaction to continue moving forward. For example, many buyers will want to include an inspection contingency in the purchase contract. This means the buyer will need time to have your home inspected. And if any issues are found, a buyer might ask you to make repairs before he will close on the home...More