Accepting a Conditional Offer on your property? Consider these 5 things

Alisha Zoethout • November 25, 2022

Receiving an offer is exciting, especially when it's within your ideal price range, but how do you evaluate a conditional offer house?

 

And what is a conditional offer really? A common type of conditional offer is one with an SBP clause, which stands for Subject to the Buyer selling their Property. This conditional offer means that your sale relies on the buyer making a sale.


Accepting an offer with an SBP clause can significantly delay completing your sale. So let’s explore how you can navigate the conditional offer meaning beyond the fine print — how does it look in practice?


Here is Amy Flowers sharing her thoughts on conditional offers with SBP clauses

1. Consider Overall Market Activity

How many showings have you had? Are you in a buyer’s or seller's market? Conditional offers with an SBP clause mean your market conditions will similarly apply to the buyer’s sales process.

2. What is the Buyer Selling?

If the buyer is selling a property similar to yours, they’ll face the same market conditions you’ve been facing. Alternatively, if they’re selling a townhouse, it might sell quickly. Conversely, it might take much longer to find a potential buyer if they're selling a multi-million dollar property.

3. Is The Buyer’s Property Sales-Ready?

What is a conditional offer beyond the numbers and property type? First, you’ll need to consider how far along they are in making their home sales-ready. Do they have decades of clutter to sort through and move out? Are there any necessary repairs? Has the property inspection been done and has it been appraised?

 

A delay in these factors can significantly complicate closing your sale, as they’ll have plenty of work today before their first showing. Conditional offers to purchase examples are filled with cautionary tales of looking only at the property type and value rather than the overall sales process.

4. How Will The Buyer Price Their Property?

Property pricing is a vital aspect of selling a home. Is the buyer going to price competitively to attract the most buyers possible or price above average to get the most for their home?

 

If the buyer prices their home improperly, you’ll be stuck waiting to make your own sale.

5. Who is the Agent Selling the Buyer’s House?

Real estate agents play an essential role in selling a home. Who is your buyer working with to make their sale? What is their track record, and do they have experience in current market conditions? Are you confident they’ll be able to make the sale?



You can see how accepting a conditional offer with an SBP clause adds a new level of complexity to finalizing your sale. However, it can still be worth accepting the offer if everything discussed above looks favorable. Thoroughly evaluate the entire situation and make an informed decision before accepting any conditional offers.

Amy Flowers

About the Author

Amy Flowers

Broker, CEO & Team Leader — Flowers Team Real Estate

Amy Flowers is the Broker, CEO, and Team Leader of Flowers Team Real Estate, Milton's most-awarded real estate team. A licensed REALTOR® since 2001, Amy has spent more than two decades helping Milton families buy and sell with confidence. Under her leadership, the Flowers Team has been ranked #1 in Milton since 2009 and recognized in the top 1% of Royal LePage agents nationwide. The team offers full turnkey service, including in-house staging, professional photography, and a dedicated marketing department, so every client gets a seamless, concierge-level experience from first showing to closing day.

Thinking about buying or selling in Milton?

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Newsletter Signup

Flowers Team News

Moving boxes in a home being packed up after a divorce sale in Milton, Ontario
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
Amy Flowers sold the matrimonial home twice and hired an agent both times. Five lessons on selling a home during a divorce in Milton from someone who has.
House keys being handed over outside a family home as one spouse buys out the other in Ontario
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
How a spouse buyout works in an Ontario divorce: the 6 steps, the equity math, the opinion of value a lender needs, and who carries the risk afterward.
Signing a separation agreement at a kitchen table before selling a home in Milton, Ontario
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
Should you sell before or after the separation agreement is signed? It depends on whether either of you is buying again. Here is the order that works.
virtual home staging, AI staging Ontario, digital home staging, virtually staged photos, RECO
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
Virtual home staging and AI listing photos are under scrutiny in Ontario. See what RECO, TRESA and MLS rules say, how to spot AI edits, and why we stage for real.
Two real estate agents from one team reviewing a listing agreement for a divorce sale in Milton
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
Can each spouse have their own real estate agent in a Milton divorce? Yes, when both agents are on one team and one listing agreement. Here is how.
Person taking a quiet moment by a bright window at home while selling a house during a separation
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
Selling a home during a separation is hard in a predictable way. Which stretch is the worst, what you can control, and where to get real support in Milton.
Supportive conversation between a professional and a client at an office table during a separation
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
What is a divorce coach, and why would a Milton realtor train as one? The role, the 4 lines it never crosses, and the step it reinforced before you buy.
Family home on a quiet Milton, Ontario street in September with a For Sale sign on the lawn
By Amy Flowers | Flowers Team Real Estate • October 21, 2026
Co-parenting and real estate in Milton: how school zoning works, whether you can move and keep the same school, and when in the school year to move.