In a competitive market, few situations test a REALTOR’s
professionalism more clearly than when more than one offer lands on the same property. How those offers are managed shapes not only the outcome for the seller but also the trust buyers and their agents place in the process.

The National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics places the seller’s interests first under Article 1, while still requiring honest treatment of all parties. Standard of Practice 1-6 calls for offers and counter-offers to be submitted objectively and as quickly as possible. Standard of Practice 1-7 requires listing brokers to continue presenting offers until closing unless the seller has waived that duty in writing, and to provide written confirmation of presentation when a cooperating broker requests it. Standard of Practice 1-15 allows disclosure of the existence of other offers, but only with the seller’s approval.

Sellers ultimately decide the strategy. They may accept the strongest offer as written, counter one while holding others, or invite every interested party to submit their highest and best by a clear deadline. When the choice is to create competition, the cleaner and more professional path is open communication. Making all known offerors or their agents aware that multiple offers have been received, setting the same deadline for everyone, and treating each party equally reduces the risk of misunderstanding and protects the listing agent from claims of favoritism.

Florida Realtors provides practical tools for exactly this situation. The Multiple Offer Disclosure to Seller helps the listing agent explain options and document the seller’s instructions. The Notice of Multiple Offers to Buyers formalizes the request for highest-and-best submissions and creates a clear paper trail. Using these forms, or a similar written notice, keeps the process orderly and transparent.

What remains surprisingly rare—and frankly unprofessional—is the practice of simply going silent after an offer has been submitted. In the great majority of multiple-offer situations, listing agents acknowledge receipt, keep cooperating brokers reasonably informed, and at minimum notify other parties once a contract is signed. Ghosting a buyer or their agent—failing to return calls or texts and allowing them to discover the property is under contract only by seeing “Pending” status appear in the MLS—is not the norm. It is an outlier that erodes confidence in the process and in the profession itself.

Leaving other parties to learn the outcome solely through the MLS is rarely the best approach. Prompt status updates, even when an offer is not selected, reflect the spirit of cooperation and honesty that the Code expects. Buyers who feel they were treated fairly are more likely to remain confident in the market and in the professionals who work in it. Listing agents who keep cooperating brokers reasonably informed strengthen their own reputation and that of the broader industry.

None of this prevents a seller from shopping offers when the law allows it. It simply means the shopping, when it occurs, happens in the open rather than in silence. Transparency does not weaken the seller’s position; in most cases it strengthens it by encouraging serious buyers to put their best terms forward knowing the process is even-handed.

Good practice in multiple-offer situations is not complicated. Discuss the options with the seller at the time of listing. When competition appears, notify the interested parties, set clear rules, and communicate the outcome. Those steps protect the client, honor the Code, and leave everyone involved with a clearer sense that the transaction was handled with integrity. The occasional failure to do so stands out precisely because it is so uncommon among professionals who take their obligations seriously.

This post was prepared with AI assistance for research, fact-checking, and initial drafting.