It is the classic seller’s dilemma. You list your home in Steiner Ranch, and within three days, you get an offer. Your initial reaction is relief, quickly followed by suspicion. "If we got an offer this fast, surely we priced it too low? If we wait a week, won't we get more?"
In the frenzied market of 2021, waiting was a strategy. You could let offers pile up like mail. But in the normalized market of 2026, waiting is a gamble—and the odds are usually not in your favor. After analyzing hundreds of transactions in neighborhoods from Rio Mesa to The Fairways, I have found that the old adage holds up more often than not: The first offer is usually the best offer.
Why is the first buyer usually the strongest?
To understand this, you have to look at the market through the eyes of a buyer. At any given moment, there is a pool of buyers who have been looking in Steiner Ranch for months. They have seen everything. They know the floor plans, they know the street values, and they are tired of losing.
When your home hits the market:
The "Veteran" Buyers see it immediately. If it meets their criteria, they act fast because they know good homes sell.
The "New" Buyers see it but aren't ready. They are just starting their search and aren't confident enough to write an offer yet.
The offer you receive in Week 1 comes from that "Veteran" pool. They are typically the most motivated, the most educated on value, and the most financially qualified. If you decline their offer to wait for "someone better," you are essentially rejecting the best buyer in the market to wait for a hesitant new buyer who might not exist.
Does a quick offer mean I priced it too low?
Not necessarily. It usually means you priced it correctly. In 2026, accurate pricing acts as a magnet. If you priced your home at fair market value, the market responded.
Here is the danger of the "Greed Gap": Sellers often think, "We got $900k on Day 2, so we can probably get $920k on Day 10." In reality, the trajectory usually goes the other way.
Day 2 Offer: $900k (Fresh listing excitement).
Day 45 Offer: $880k (Stale listing stigma).
As days on market tick up, buyers begin to wonder, "What is wrong with it?" The excitement fades, and you lose the leverage to demand top dollar.
When should you actually wait?
There are specific scenarios where I advise clients to hold off:
It’s Lowball & Unserious: If the offer is 10% below list price and the buyer is fishing, you don't need to accept it. We counter, or we wait.
Multiple Interest Signals: If we have one offer in hand but three other agents calling to say, "We are writing up an offer tonight," then we wait. We set a deadline to create competition.
Contingency Heavy: If the first offer is full of risks—like being contingent on them selling their home in a slow market—it might be worth waiting for a cleaner deal, even if the price is slightly lower.
The Hidden Cost of "Testing the Market"
Many sellers forget to calculate the "carry cost" of waiting. If you turn down an offer to wait another month, you aren't just betting on a higher price. You are paying:
Another mortgage payment.
Another month of property taxes (which are significant in Travis County).
Another month of utilities and HOA fees.
The stress of keeping the house "show-ready" with kids and pets.
Often, holding out for an extra $5,000 ultimately costs you $6,000 in time and expenses. A bird in the hand is truly worth two in the bush.
Local Insight: The "Weekend" Effect
In Steiner Ranch, the vast majority of showings happen Thursday through Sunday. If you list on Thursday and get an offer on Saturday, you have effectively tested the market. You captured the active buyer pool for that week.
Waiting for "next weekend" rarely brings a different result unless a brand new buyer enters the market at that exact moment. You are betting on luck rather than data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we counter the first offer without losing them? Yes. Accepting the negotiation is not the same as accepting the initial price. We almost always counter to tighten up terms or inch the price up. A serious buyer expects a counter. The risk comes when you simply ignore them or become greedy.
What if the first offer is full price but has a weird closing date? Terms matter. If the price is great but the timeline doesn't work for you, we negotiate the timeline. Most buyers are flexible on closing dates if they really want the house. Don't throw away a good price over a calendar issue that can be solved.
Is it rude to ask for a "highest and best" deadline immediately? It’s not rude, but it can be risky. If you have only one offer and you try to bluff a "bidding war" that doesn't exist, you might scare the only real buyer away. I only recommend calling for "highest and best" when we have verified interest from multiple parties.
Do cash offers always beat higher financed offers? Not always. A cash offer of $850k is not necessarily better than a solid conventional loan offer of $875k, provided the financed buyer is fully underwritten. In 2026, lending is stable. I vet the lender as much as the buyer to ensure the higher offer is actually closable.
Conclusion
The fear of "leaving money on the table" is natural. But in real estate, the greater risk is often "chasing the market down." If you receive a solid, fair-market offer from a qualified buyer in the first week, you have won. You have achieved the goal. My advice is usually to negotiate it fairly, lock it in, and move on to your next chapter with peace of mind.
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