Should I Accept an Offer That Asks Me to Pay the Buyer’s Closing Costs?
How we helped Luis and Morgan sell a Leavenworth, KS home with little equity, walk away with money, and get the long closing they needed: The Full Story
Can I Sell My House After Only 3 Years in Leavenworth, KS?
The Full Story
Luis had owned his home in Leavenworth, Kansas for about three years when he and Morgan decided to sell. With that little time in the house, there wasn’t much equity, and their biggest worry going in was simple: would they have to pay money just to sell their own home?
They also needed time. They had to find their next house and get it closed before moving out, so a quick closing wasn’t going to work for them. A sale that left them with no money at the table, or one that forced them out before the next place was ready, would have failed on the two things that mattered most.
“When you haven’t owned the house long, the first number we run is not the list price. It is what you walk away with.”
The Strategy
Josh Seitz of Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North priced the home a little high on purpose. With limited equity, the goal was to leave enough room so that Luis and Morgan would still walk away with money after the costs of selling. To bring in buyers at that price, the team put out a lot of signs, featured the home on the Nelson Home Group website for more exposure, and marketed it on Facebook.
The home went under contract after 9 days on market. The one offer that came in was over the list price but asked the sellers to pay toward the buyer’s closing costs, which brought their net a little below list. Instead of judging the offer on price alone, Josh and the sellers weighed it against what Luis and Morgan actually needed: to net some money and to have a long closing. This contract did both, so they accepted it.
The timing then worked the way they hoped. The Leavenworth sale went under contract on May 10, 2026. Luis and Morgan were under contract on their next home by May 29, closed on it July 7, and closed the sale of the Leavenworth house the next day, July 8. One move, no gap, no second rent payment. The purchase side of that summer is its own story, with the same couple on the other end of a seller-paid closing costs negotiation.
“The best offer was not the highest number. It was the one that left them money at closing and gave them time to buy first.”
The Success
Luis and Morgan sold their Leavenworth home without paying to sell it. They walked away with money in hand and got the long closing they needed to find and close on their next house before moving. The trade-off was covering part of the buyer’s closing costs, a compromise that still met both of their goals.
The numbers, kept separate: 9 days on market, 12 calendar days from listing to contract, 59 days from contract to closing, and 71 days from listing to closing. One offer, FHA financing, closed July 8, 2026. The contract price was over list; after the seller-paid closing costs, the net landed a little under list, which is the compromise named above, not a hidden one.
According to Josh, what surprised them most was that a long closing was possible at all, and what helped most was the marketing and choosing the contract that fit their needs.
The takeaway: if you haven’t owned your home long, the best offer isn’t always the highest number. It’s the one that leaves you money at closing and fits the timing of your next move. Pricing with your net in mind from day one matters. The limits: this worked because the list price left room for the concession and because the one buyer who showed up could wait 59 days to close. A buyer who needed a 30-day close, or an offer that came in under list, would have changed the math.
Next step: before you list, find out what you would walk away with. Run your own numbers on our Kansas City seller net sheet calculator, then call or text Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North at 816-680-6624 or send us a note and we will run the real one with you.
About This Property
A 1920 bungalow in historic Leavenworth with three bedrooms and a full bath on one level, a covered front porch, an updated kitchen, a back deck and an outbuilding with two separate rooms and entrances. See the full listing page for 919 Pottawatomie Street →
Living in Leavenworth, KS
Leavenworth is the First City of Kansas, a river town north of Kansas City with established neighborhoods, a walkable downtown and Fort Leavenworth on its north side. Homes here range from century-old bungalows like this one to newer subdivisions, and the price range sits below much of the Kansas City metro. Our Living in Leavenworth, KS page covers what day-to-day life looks like, and the Leavenworth, KS community page carries the current market numbers and active listings.
Nelson Home Group has handled sales on both sides of Leavenworth, including an inherited home sold through probate for an out-of-state seller. If you are weighing who to hire here, our best real estate agent near Leavenworth, KS page shows the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have to pay to sell my house if I haven’t owned it long?
It depends on what you owe, what the home sells for, and your selling costs, such as commissions, closing costs and any concessions. Ask for an estimated net sheet before you list so you know your number up front. For the full break-even math on a short-ownership sale, read how another Nelson Home Group seller walked away whole after two years in a Kansas City home. Nelson Home Group is not a financial advisor, so review your situation with your lender or tax professional.
What happens if I owe more than my house will sell for?
Sellers in that position usually bring money to closing or ask their lender to approve a short sale, which has its own process and consequences. Talk with your lender and a qualified professional before making that decision. Running the numbers early helps you know which situation you’re in before you list.
Should I accept an offer that asks me to pay the buyer’s closing costs?
Sometimes. Compare what you would net under each offer, not just the sale price, and weigh terms like the closing date that matter to your plans. For Luis and Morgan in Leavenworth, Kansas, an offer with seller-paid closing costs was the right choice because it still left them money and gave them the time they needed to buy their next home first.
Can I ask for a long closing so I have time to buy my next house?
Yes, the closing date is negotiable, and some buyers can accommodate a longer timeline. Your agent can make the timing part of how offers are compared. The buyer’s loan and lender timelines also need to line up. In this Leavenworth sale the contract-to-close period ran 59 days, and the sellers closed on their next home the day before.
Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North · 1508 NW Vivion Rd #205, Kansas City, MO 64118 · Call or text 816-680-6624
Brokerage: Keller Williams KC North · 816-452-4200
The Result
Money at Closing and Time to Buy First
Over list with seller-paid closing costs · 9 days on market · closed July 8, 2026
Leavenworth, KS
Three years in the house, little equity, one offer with concessions, and a 59-day closing that let Luis and Morgan buy before they moved.
How the Timeline Actually Ran
- April 28, 2026: listed in Leavenworth
- May 10, 2026: under contract, 9 days on market, one offer
- Offer over list, with seller-paid closing costs
- May 29, 2026: under contract on their next home
- July 7, 2026: closed on the next home
- July 8, 2026: closed this sale, FHA, 59 days after contract
Listing to closing: 71 days. The long close was the point, not a delay.
Judging an Offer by Net, Not Price
- Start with what you owe and what it costs to sell
- Subtract any concessions the offer asks for
- Compare the net under each offer, not the top line
- Weigh the closing date against your next move
- Decide what you need the sale to do, then pick the offer that does it
In this sale, the offer with concessions won because it did both jobs.
Selling After Only a Few Years
- Little equity means little margin for mistakes
- Price with your net in mind, not just the comps
- Know your number before the first showing
- A long closing can be worth more than a higher price
Most of what decides a short-ownership sale happens before the sign goes in the yard.
The Numbers on This Home
- 3 bedrooms, 1 full bath, about 1,227 sq ft on one level
- Built 1920 · bungalow · partial basement
- Covered front porch, updated kitchen, living room fireplace
- Back deck and an outbuilding with two rooms and two entrances
- Historic Leavenworth · Leavenworth schools
- Listed April 28 · under contract May 10 · closed July 8, 2026 · FHA
Leavenworth County, Kansas. Nelson Home Group represented the sellers.
About Josh Seitz
Josh Seitz is a Realtor with Nelson Home Group at Keller Williams KC North, licensed in Missouri and Kansas. VA buyers, first-time buyers and competitive offers are his specialties, and this Leavenworth sale was his listing. Read Josh’s full bio →
Selling With Little Equity?
Tell us what you owe and when you need to move before we talk price. We will show you what you would walk away with under a realistic offer, including one that asks for closing costs, so you can decide with the real number in front of you. Call or text 816-680-6624 or start a conversation with the team.