What is the result when a buyer counters an offer and then accepts the original offer later?

When a buyer counters an offer and then later decides to accept the original offer, the key principle at play is that the counteroffer constitutes a rejection of the original offer. Once an original offer is countered, it is no longer valid; the counteroffer effectively terminates the initial offer.

As a result, if the buyer counters and then seeks to accept the original offer at a later time, this acceptance cannot form a valid agreement because the original offer has already been rejected with the counteroffer. Therefore, what remains is that there is no valid agreement, as the original terms have been effectively nullified by the counteraction.

This situation emphasizes the importance of understanding the rules of offer and acceptance in contract negotiations, highlighting that a counteroffer closes the door on the previous offer. For a valid contract to be established after a counteroffer, the original offer would need to be reinstated or re-extended by the original offeror.