Every seller is different – they won’t always have the same reason for not responding to a purchase offer, but here are the most common reasons.
The Offer Was Too Low
Sometimes sellers don’t bother with a response when the offer is too low. But how low is too low?
It depends on the situation. Most sellers won’t acknowledge an offer that’s 10% less than the market value. It’s insulting to them, and they don’t want to deal with the back and forth of a counteroffer. Some sellers may even be offended by the lowball offer like you are trying to take advantage of them.
Sometimes a low offer also signifies that you aren’t serious. You are just throwing a dart out there to see if it sticks. Again, sellers won’t waste their time, especially if you’re bidding during a seller’s market.
Yet, in some cases, sellers can’t counter multiple offers at once or even make more than one counter on one specific offer.
The Offer Was Too High
It seems backward, a house seller not responding could be due to your offer being too high. When an offer is too high, most real estate agents will advise their client not to accept it. Here’s why.
Unless the buyer is paying cash, which most cash buyers don’t bid over the asking price or even near it, they’ll need financing. No lender will approve a loan for the full amount if the buyer offered more than the home is worth. The lender will require an appraisal and use that value to determine your loan amount.
If you made an offer on a house with no response, check the market value of homes in the area. If your offer was much higher, you have your answer.
They Received A Better Offer
In today’s market, chances are you aren’t the only person looking at the home. The seller may receive a handful of offers at the same time. Sellers have just as much time in their day as you do, so they may prioritize the offers, responding only to those they want to counter or consider.
What makes an offer better than your offer?
Money always talks, of course. An offer for a higher amount but within the market value will catch a seller’s attention faster than a lower offer. Sometimes it’s not about the money, though. Sellers also look closely at contingencies. If you have a handful of contingencies in your offer, but another buyer doesn’t, yours may not receive a response because they chose the other offer.
You Didn’t Meet Their Needs
Just like you have needs in a home, sellers have needs in the contract and the terms of sale. Sellers may need:
- Your lender to write a Verified Approval Letter. This gives sellers peace of mind knowing you’re qualified to buy the house and won’t back out of the contract, leaving them back at square one selling the home.
- A shorter escrow period because they are in a hurry to move. If they are relocating or have other urgent reasons to move fast, they may choose someone who can close in a few weeks.
- More time to close because their new home won’t be ready yet. If the seller is buying a house at the same time as selling their current home, they may need more time in their current home until their new house is ready.
- A higher earnest money deposit. Sellers in some areas want high earnest money deposits to guarantee you’re serious about buying the home. If you can’t make a large enough deposit, they may ignore your offer.
- You to ignore the details of the home inspection and not require them to pay for and make the repairs. Some sellers don’t want to be bothered with the home’s issues. They are selling it and want to be done.
FAQs
There is a chance that getting no response signifies that your offer was too low to be considered seriously by the seller. On the other hand, if the seller is simply slow to respond, speak with your real estate agent to follow up with the seller's agent.
What happens if you make an offer on a house no response? ›
Does The Seller Have To Respond To Your Offer? Although frustrating, sellers aren't legally obligated to respond to your offer. If they don't like it, feel offended by it, or don't have the time to respond, they don't have to.
How long to hear back after making an offer on a house? ›
The typical response time for a seller after receiving an offer is 24-72 hours. However, it could take longer, depending on market conditions and other factors. Sellers want time to thoroughly review an offer's details, get feedback from their agent, and potentially wait to see if other competitive offers come in.
What happens if seller doesn't respond to offer? ›
If you make an offer and the seller doesn't respond at all, your offer was probably too low. Some sellers might not respond on purpose to send you a message that they were “offended” by your offer. The real estate consultant is required to inform the seller of all offers, but the seller is not required to respond.
How long should you give someone to accept an offer to a house? ›
In theory, there's no rule about how quickly a seller has to respond to purchase offers. You can take as long as you want before responding since there is no official time frame. However, the industry standard is to get back to interested buyers within 24 to 72 hours.
Why do sellers ignore your offer? ›
A seller may dismiss an offer altogether if they believe it to be unreasonable, incomplete, or otherwise not in their best interests. Sellers may choose not to deal with offers well below the asking price — "low-ball" offers — especially if they have better offers on the table.
Why would a seller reject an offer? ›
Your offer price may have been too low or too high, or they may have simply received a better offer. Other reasons could include the listing agreement commission structure, specific contract requirements, or personal reasons.
Can a seller accept another offer while under contract? ›
While laws vary by state, in general, up until that contract is signed by both parties—even after counteroffers have been sent out—all new offers can be considered and accepted. Once both parties have signed it, however, the seller is pretty much locked into the deal.
Do sellers have to respond to an offer? ›
However, there are currently no U.S. laws that require this. Home sellers are free to reject or counter even a contingency-free, full-price offer, and aren't bound to any terms until they sign a written real estate purchase agreement.
Why do sellers take so long to respond to offers? ›
There are quite a few reasons why a seller might take longer than usual to respond to your offer. The first is if they received multiple offers. “Typically, response time increases if there is more than one offer on the table,” says Ross. “Sellers may take their time to choose which offer is best for them.”
While not legally required, it's often expected that sellers will provide a response within 24 hours to three days to interested buyers to let them know where they stand.
Can a seller cancel a sale after accepting an offer? ›
Bottom line. “Generally, a seller can't cancel without cause,” Schorr says. “You could build in some contingency, but absent that, you had better be committed to the sale.” Reneging because you fear you underpriced the house, or you actually receive a better offer, doesn't count as “cause.”
Can a buyer back out after seller accepts offer? ›
Once your offer is accepted and the purchase contract is signed, you are bound to the terms of the agreement. However, you can still back out without penalty if you paid for an option period or have either an inspection or appraisal contingency. Just be sure to back out before the contingency expires.
Do sellers usually accept first offer? ›
Most sellers hope to have multiple offers, but sometimes it's best to take the first offer you receive. It may be tempting to hold out for a better price when selling your home, especially when your home is newly listed.
How do I convince a seller to accept my offer? ›
Steps to Write an Offer
- Make sure the price is right. ...
- Show proof of pre-qualification. ...
- Offer more earnest money. ...
- Waive certain contingencies. ...
- Include an escalation clause. ...
- Limit your asks for extras. ...
- Be agreeable to the seller's needs. ...
- Be polite.
It's also acceptable to offer 20% or more below asking when the house has been priced significantly higher than what other homes in the neighborhood have sold for. If comparable homes have sold for much lower than the list price of the house you're interested in, that could work in your favor.
How long do sellers have to respond to an offer? ›
When Do Sellers Need to Respond to an Offer? While there is no legal deadline that sellers have to respond by, it is ideal for sellers to respond within 24 hours. Most sellers typically respond within 24 to 72 hours after receiving an offer.
What happens if buyer doesn't respond to counter offer? ›
As a buyer, you never have to respond to a seller's counter offer. Again, usually people do give responses, but you aren't required to do so, particularly if you lost interest in the home. If you let the expiration date and time pass, the counter offer is considered rejected.
Do you have to respond to an offer on a house? ›
After all, aren't the buyers giving the sellers exactly what their listing asked for? However, there are currently no U.S. laws that require this. Home sellers are free to reject or counter even a contingency-free, full-price offer, and aren't bound to any terms until they sign a written real estate purchase agreement.
How long do buyers have to respond to a counter offer? ›
Respond to counter offers in a timely manner, but know that sellers may try to rush you. Counter offers typically come with an expiration date. In many markets, 48 hours is the customary acceptance window, but in a hot real estate market, an offer may only be on the table for 24 hours or less.
