Preparing to make an offer on a home that's for sale? It’s natural to wonder: How long does a seller have to respond to an offer on a house? For that matter, how long does the seller have to accept an offer, and does a seller have to respond to an offer at all?
Truth is, sellers may not be required to meet a particular buyer response deadline (depending on what is specified in the purchase agreement), and they are not legally required to respond at all.
Learn more about what’s involved with accepting an offer on a house and associated timelines, why the seller may not respond to your offer, what to do if the seller is unresponsive, signs your offer will be accepted, and how you can make your offer more attractive.
How long does a seller have to accept an offer?
When you make an offer on a listed property, the seller is allowed to take as much time as they want to accept or respond– unless you have indicated a deadline in your offer.
“In reality, the majority of offers made by buyers include a listed expiration date – often between 24 and 72 hours. This gives the negotiations structure and keeps them from going on forever,” says Dennis Shirshikov, a professor of financeand economics at City University of New York/Queens College.
Many purchase agreements presented by the buyer to the seller include a default response time.
“In our Los Angeles market, that default response time is typically three days,” explains Martin Feinberg, a Realtor/broker with Keller Williams. “However, if a buyer is submitting what they feel is an aggressive offer that’s better than asking price on a property that has high interest and activity, they will often ask for a response within 24 to 36 hours.”
...in as little as 3 minutes – no credit impact
Does a seller have to respond to an offer?
Contrary to the belief of some buyers, the seller is not legally required to respond to any offer. If your offer doesn’t meet their standards, or if they receive better offers, they may choose to ignore or reject your offer.
“That being said, it’s a matter of professional etiquette for the seller’s agent to communicate to the buyer the seller’s decision,” notes Elizabeth Powers, a Realtor with Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno.
Why is the seller not responding to your offer?
There are common reasons why a home seller may ignore your offer without a response:
- Your offer was too low.
- They have multiple/better offers.
- The seller is skeptical about your offer.
“If your offer is significantly less than the asking price, if the seller has several competing offers to consider, or if the seller has concerns about your ability to finance the purchase and afford the loan and the monthly payments, they may choose to remain silent,” Shirshikov continues. “Silence itself is occasionally employed as a negotiating strategy to convey indifference.”
In Feinberg’s experience, typically, when a seller opts not to respond to your offer, it’s due to the buyer’s price being too low to merit a counteroffer.
“Or, in some cases, you may be taking an offer that’s contingent on the sale of your property – which most sellers won’t consider,” he says.
Not all rejected offers look the same
Be aware that purchase agreements include a section in which the listing agent and/or seller can indicate “rejected.” Feinberg points out that this isn’t always utilized, but in some cases, the buyer prefers that in writing to prove that the seller did, in fact, review their offer and that the listing agent didn’t act independently in rejecting your offer.
“Sellers' agents are legally required to present all written offers to their seller clients, although presentation can be verbal as well as providing a buyer’s actual written offer,” adds Feinberg.
Rick Bannon, a real estate advisor with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, lists a few other reasons why sellers may not respond to offers.
“Perhaps the seller is not financially capable of moving forward without some kind of requirement, such as the need to sell a different house that hasn’t even been listed yet,” says Bannon. “Or maybe they are waiting on an inheritance, or they want an extremely long closing period.”
A preapproval can sweeten an offer
Another factor that can increase the risk of your offer being ignored? Not including a mortgage loan preapproval letter in your offer.
“As a buyer, presenting that approval letter from a reputable lender is the most important step at this stage in the process,” suggests Kerry Adams with Compass Real Estate.
Better's AI-driven preapproval can show results within three minutes.
...in as little as 3 minutes – no credit impact
What to do if the seller is not responding
If you’ve made an offer that’s only generated silence from the seller, regroup quickly with your real estate agent/Realtorand ask them how to best proceed.
“Both your Realtor and the listing agent will have to talk things through and figure out how to get matters moving forward,” says Bannon. “A good real estate agent will ask you to start thinking about what your second and third choices might be at this stage.”
Practice patience during this waiting period. Perhaps the seller is away or indisposed; or maybe they just need a bit more time to review your offer and make a decision.
Still no reply? Give thought to sweetening the deal by improving your offer. Discuss the pros and cons of this strategy with your agent first.
Signs your offer will be accepted
If the seller responds to your offer in some way, even if it’s not an immediate acceptance of your offer, it’s likely a good signal that a deal agreement is forthcoming.
“Positive indicators include a prompt counteroffer from the seller, a request for additional supporting documentation – such as proof of funds – or inquiries regarding timing. Genuine interest is frequently indicated by sellers who request small changes rather than dismissing an offer outright or ignoring it,” Shirshikov says.
Additionally, conversations initiated by the listing agent with your agent can signify a green flag after your purchase contract offer is presented.
“If you are in a multiple offer situation, prompt responses from the seller can also be beneficial, but not a guarantee,” says Powers.
Set an expiration on your offer
To increase the likelihood of the seller responding to your offer, you might want to set an offer expiration date. With a shorter timeline and indicated expiration date, the seller cannot use your offer as leverage while seeking higher bids from other shoppers.
“By requiring a decision within a specified window – even if it results in a rejection – it grants you more control,” advises Shirshikov.
Powers says she often sees buyer offers that specify a 24- to 48-hour expiration date, which can be particularly useful to buyers who are considering two different homes for sale.
However, if the seller has clearly stated that they will not look at offers until a later date, “setting a deadline date on your offer could backfire – especially if you present a low offer,” cautions Adams. “If you plan to include a deadline, talk to your real estate agent about how to make your offer strong enough for the seller to shut the door on other potential buyers.”
How can you make your offer more attractive?
You can impress the seller and thereby increase the chances of your offer being accepted if you provide:
- A higher offer as close to the asking price as possible.
- Flexible closing dates.
- Proof of funds.
- A mortgage loan pre-approval letter from a lender. “Even better, furnish a lender letter that indicates you already have underwriting approval,” recommends Feinberg.
- Fewer contingencies in your offer.
- A substantial earnest money deposit. “Indicate in your offer that you agree to release your earnest money deposit to the seller upon acceptance of the offer, which can help you prevail when other strong offers are on the table,” Feinberg continues.
- A larger down payment. “Putting down more money can help the seller feel better about your offer,” says Powers.
- An all-cash offer. “If you are financially capable, a cash offer always supersedes a finance offer simply because it removes the possibility that the house might not appraise at the contract price or that financing could fall apart before closing,” Bannon notes.
- A personal letter written to the seller that explains your enthusiasm about buying their home.
Seller responding to offer FAQs
Is it normal for sellers to accept their first offer?
Whether or not the seller will accept the first offer they receive will depend on market conditions, how the offer is structured, and if it meets their needs. Although sellers typically wait for several offers in a competitive market, a well-priced first offer could be accepted quickly in a slower market.
What happens after an offer is submitted?
The seller and their listing agent have the option to accept, reject, or submit a counter offer once your offer has been submitted. Their agent will review all the terms, check on your qualifications, and make recommendations to the sellerabout how to respond. If your contract offer is accepted, the house will go under contract, after which time an appraisaland (optional) home inspection are conducted, the lender provides an underwriting decision, and the closing commences.
Can a seller back out once an offer is accepted?
Unless there are special circumstances or a kick-out clause is included in the contract, sellers are typically not allowed to back out of a contract once it has been signed without incurring penalties. They could face financial and legal repercussions if they accept the offer but withdraw without a worthy explanation.
The bottom line
When you make an offer on a home, be prepared for what happens next. Typically, the seller generally controls the timeline unless you set a clear expiration date in your offer. While sellers are not legally obligated to respond – and “sellernot responding to offer” situations are common – understanding why this happens, how to strengthen your buyer offer, and what steps to take if there’s silence can help you stay proactive and improve your chances of success.
...in as little as 3 minutes – no credit impact