Buying in Multiple Offers?

What Winnipeg Buyers Need to Know About Offer Night

If you’ve been house hunting in Winnipeg lately, chances are you’ve seen the words “Offers Presented…”—and immediately felt your stomach tighten a little

Welcome to offer night — one of the most exciting (and sometimes stressful) parts of buying a home in our market.

As realtors, we know offer night can feel intimidating, especially for first-time buyers. There’s a lot of emotion, strategy, waiting, and uncertainty involved. But the more you understand the process ahead of time, the more confident and prepared you’ll feel when the right home comes along.

So let’s break down exactly offer night, what you should expect, and most importantly how to best prepare yourself for success.

What Is Offer Night?

In Winnipeg, we are currently in a seller’s market. This means there is more demand than supply, which in turn means there is likely more than one buying party interested in purchasing the same home. Due to these market conditions, sellers are often encouraged to set a specific date and time when all offers will be reviewed.

For example, you may see something like:

“Offers presented May XX at 6:00 PM.”

This means no offers will be reviewed before that time. (And in Manitoba, sellers typically sign instructions directing their listing agent not to present offers early.)

The goal? To create competition and give every interested buyer a fair opportunity to view the property and submit an offer.

How to Prepare Before Offer Night

Touch Base With Your Mortgage Specialist

If you’re at the point of writing an offer in Winnipeg, you’re likely already pre-approved for a mortgage. But before submitting your offer, it doesn’t hurt to touch base with your mortgage professional.

• Know how long you will need for a financing condition (if required)

• Get advice from your lender on an appropriate possession date. Even if the seller prefers a quick possession, you want to ensure your lender can accommodate it.

• Make sure your lender has everything they need from you so they can work as quickly as possible once that accepted offer hits their desk!

Have Your Deposit Ready

In Winnipeg, deposits are typically due within 24 hours of acceptance and are held in trust by the listing brokerage until closing.

The deposit amount does go towards your downpayment. But having deposit funds accessible ahead of time is important. Make sure you have access to your deposit amount!

Know Your Comfort Zone

Before writing an offer, you should already know:

• Your maximum budget for this specific home. I always recommend having your “magic number” — the number where, if I call to say you lost the home by $100, you won’t be devastated, but also the number you still feel good about if I call to say, “Congratulations, you got the house!”

• Which conditions you’re comfortable including/excluding

• What risks you are or aren’t willing to take

This helps avoid emotional decisions in the moment.

Writing the Offer

When you decide to move forward, your realtor will prepare the offer paperwork with you. This includes:

• Purchase price

• Deposit amount

• Possession date

• Conditions

• Included items

Your realtor should walk you through everything carefully so you fully understand what you’re signing. They should also walk you through the timeline of how offer presentation day will work so you know when to be available if needed.

Have Your Decision-Makers Available, Present, and Reachable

If you’re purchasing with a partner or family member, make sure everyone involved is available during offer presentation time. Your realtor should be able to get a hold of you before and during offer presentation time.

How Multiple Offers Work in Manitoba

One thing buyers are often surprised to learn is that listing agents cannot share the details of competing offers.

Agents can usually disclose:

• The number of offers being presented

• The names of other Realtors that have written offers

But they cannot disclose:

• Competing prices

• Terms or conditions

• Buyer information

This means buyers need to put forward the strongest offer they feel comfortable with based on what the home is worth to them.

What Happens During Offer Presentation?

The seller reviews all offers with their listing agent and compares:

• Price

• Conditions

• Deposit amounts

• Possession dates

• Overall strength of terms

And contrary to popular belief — the highest price doesn’t always win. A cleaner, more flexible offer can sometimes beat a higher-priced one depending on the seller’s priorities.

Possible Outcomes

1. Your Offer Is Accepted

Congratulations! 🎉

If there are conditions included, the property becomes conditionally sold until those are satisfied.

2. The Seller Counters Your Offer

The seller may ask for changes such as:

• A higher price

• A different possession date

• Fewer conditions

• Different terms

However, in a multiple-offer/competitive scenario, buyers tend to lose negotiation power. It is less common for a seller to come back and counter your offer if they already have other stronger offers to choose from. Talk to your realtor about strategy here.

3. You Don’t Get the House

This can be disappointing, especially if you loved the home. But losing in multiple offers is extremely common in competitive markets. Sometimes another buyer simply had:

• More flexibility

• Fewer conditions

• A different comfort level

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

What is offer night in Winnipeg?

Offer night is a scheduled date and time when all offers on a property are reviewed by the seller. In Manitoba, there is no such thing as bully or preemptive offers like we see in other markets. If an offer date is set on a listing here, no offers will be reviewed prior to that date (unless, of course, the Realtor wants to risk losing their license).

Can sellers accept offers early in Manitoba?

Sellers sign instructions directing their listing agent not to review offers before the scheduled date and time. All are in agreement that nothing is to occur before the offer date and time.

Does the highest offer always win?

No. Sellers also consider conditions, possession dates, flexibility, and overall strength of the offer. However, price is usually one of most heavily-weighted factors.

Are bidding wars common in Winnipeg?

Yes. Our most recent Board stats showed that just over 70% of single detached homes were selling at or above list price in Manitoba, and mostly on offer night. This is especially true with well-priced homes in competitive neighbourhoods.

Can buyers see competing offer prices?

No. In Manitoba, listing agents cannot disclose competing prices or terms. We call it blind bidding. The only way you will know what someone else offered, is if you lose (unfortunately) and are able to see the sale price when things finalize.

Final Thoughts

• Offer night is designed to create a fair opportunity for all interested buyers

• Preparation before offer presentation is critical in competitive markets

• Buyers should know their budget, comfort level, and strategy ahead of time

• The highest price does not always win in multiple offers

• Strong guidance and realistic expectations reduce emotional decision-making

Your Friend in Real Estate,

Samantha Scribilo Kusiak

Tel: (204) 960-8851
Email: Samantha@QueenTeam.ca

About the Author

Samantha Scribilo-Kusiak is a REALTOR® with The Queen Team who focuses on helping buyers feel informed, prepared, and confident throughout the home-buying process. With a calm, educational approach, she helps clients navigate competitive markets and major decisions with clarity - not pressure.