Texas Real Estate Sales Agent ExamTexas Real Estate LawMedium

A buyer submits an offer on a property. The seller makes a counteroffer, changing the closing date and adding a contingency for the sale of their current home. What is the legal status of the buyer's original offer?

  1. AIt is automatically terminated by the seller's counteroffer.
  2. BIt is temporarily suspended until the buyer responds to the counteroffer.
  3. CIt remains valid and can be accepted by the seller if the counteroffer is rejected.
  4. DIt can be reinstated if the buyer agrees to the original terms after rejecting the counteroffer.
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A. It is automatically terminated by the seller's counteroffer.

A counteroffer acts as a rejection of the original offer and creates a new offer. Therefore, the buyer's original offer is terminated and can no longer be accepted by the seller.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. Suspension is not the correct legal status; it is terminated.
  • C. Once a counteroffer is made, the original offer is no longer valid.
  • D. The original offer is terminated; a new offer would need to be made if the buyer wanted to revert to those terms.

Counteroffer

A response to an offer that changes one or more of the original terms, thereby rejecting the original offer and creating a new offer.

  • Rejects original offer
  • Creates a new offer
  • Can be accepted, rejected, or countered again

Memory trick: An offer's journey: present, modify, or let it fade.

More Texas Real Estate Law questions