Should the purchaser fail to buy the property as agreed, he will usually forfeit the deposit money. In this way, the seller is compensated for the likelihood of a missed sale because he took his real estate off the market. Placing the deposit funds in the Realtor's protected escrow account also protects the buyer. A written offer has come in on your property. This is a good reason to keep your agent apprised of your whereabouts.
Most homeowners react by immediately asking how much the buyers are prepared to pay.
However, if there are several minor provisions or a major one included in the offer, don't be put off if the agent would prefer to set up a time and place to discuss the offer with you personally and explain the details and financial elements. What may sound extremely good or bad over the phone may look a lot different when explained on paper. If several offers come in, it's best to consider all at the same time. The first one signed by the buyer does not have any precedence. If you have not acted on any offer, you are free to consider all of them and respond to whatever one you choose.