Sarah is purchasing a residential property in Bismarck, North Dakota. The seller's agent presents her with a written purchase agreement. Sarah signs the agreement but the seller has not yet signed. At this point in the transaction, the purchase agreement is best described as:
Correct Answer
A) A unilateral offer that can be accepted or rejected by the seller
A purchase agreement signed by only one party (the buyer) constitutes a unilateral offer, not a binding contract. Under North Dakota contract law consistent with NDCC Chapter 47-10, a bilateral contract requires mutual assent — meaning both parties must sign. Until the seller signs and communicates acceptance, the document is merely Sarah's offer, which the seller may accept or reject.
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