What Happens If You Made An Offer On A House But Received No Response?

You made an offer on a house and heard nothing back. You might be scratching your head wondering what you did wrong.

Sellers don’t have a legal obligation to respond to you. There are many reasons you might not get a reply. For example, they may receive better offers in a seller’s market, or maybe your offer doesn’t meet their needs.  

Understanding how long a seller has to respond and why they aren’t responding can help you learn how to approach the next house you want to bid on.

They Received A Better Offer

In a seller’s market, the seller may receive a handful of offers at the same time. Sellers have limited time and may need to prioritize offers by responding only to those they want to counter or consider.

But what makes one offer better than another?

A high offer, within the market value, will catch a seller’s attention faster than a low offer. Sometimes it’s not about the money, though. Sellers also look closely at contingencies – conditions that need to be met to move forward with the sale. An offer without contingencies can be more attractive to sellers receiving multiple similar offers. If your offer contains contingencies, such as the sale of your own home, that could be a reason you haven’t received a response.

The Offer Didn’t Meet Their Needs

Your offer might be ignored if it doesn’t line up with what the seller is looking for. For example, sellers may be looking for:

• A Verified Approval Letter ¹: This gives sellers peace of mind that you’re qualified to buy the house. It shows the seller you’re serious and that you’re more likely to move forward with the deal.
• A shorter escrow period: Especially if they’re in a hurry to move. If they’re relocating or have other urgent reasons to move fast, they may choose someone who can close in a few weeks.
• A longer closing window: This can happen when their new home isn’t ready yet. If the seller is buying and selling a home at the same time, 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. If you can’t make a large enough deposit, they may ignore your offer.
• Waive home inspection contingencies: Sellers might prioritize offers where they’re not required to pay for or make repairs found during the inspection process. For sellers looking to streamline the selling process making repairs is another cost and possible delay. They may ignore an offer that requires repairs or compensation before the sale can close.

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. When making an offer, increase your chances of receiving a response by following the seller’s offer instructions, so your offer stands out.

While the house seller not responding isn’t common, it happens especially in a multiple-offer situation or bidding war. Sellers often prioritize the offers they’ll consider and respond to while ignoring the rest.

How Long Do They Have To Respond?

Legally speaking, there isn’t a time frame for sellers to respond to your offer. However, it’s an unspoken rule in the industry that sellers and/or the listing agents should respond within a few days, with 48 hours as the norm.

Depending on the laws in your area, you may be able to set a time limit on when your offer expires. This can be helpful if you want to make an offer on another home. Your real estate agent can advise you on what’s best for your situation.

What To Do If You Don’t Receive A Response

While it’s frustrating to make an offer on a house and not receive a response, you do have options regarding how you handle the situation. Here are a few tips.

Be Patient

Sometimes being patient pays off. Remember that the seller is selling a piece of their life. They might need a few days to make a decision. This doesn’t mean the seller won’t accept your offer or at least counteroffer, but they may need time to think it through.

Talk To Your Real Estate Agent                                    

It’s important to talk to your agent during this time. Chances are, your real estate agent has been through this situation before and can offer insight. They may have advice on how to proceed, such as adjusting your offer, waiting it out or writing the seller a letter about why you want the house.

Real estate agents may have a better understanding of the seller and the situation so they could help you decide how to proceed.

Be Cautious When Making Multiple Offers

Keep in mind that if you make offers on multiple homes, more than one could be accepted. If you put earnest money down on each home, you’ll lose your deposit on at least one of them.

To be fair to sellers, you should be transparent when making offers on multiple properties. In some states, you can’t make an offer on a house if you have a pending offer somewhere else. Your real estate agent can guide you on the laws and requirements in your state. Plus, they can help you decide if or when it’s a good idea to submit an offer elsewhere.

The Bottom Line

If you made an offer on a house and got no response, don’t give up. It may not be the right house for you, or it may just take time to get all the details worked out.

Give your offer the best chance with an initial approval. You can begin the approval process today with Rocket Mortgage^Ⓡ.

¹ Participation in the Verified Approval program is based on an underwriter’s comprehensive analysis of your credit, income, employment status, assets and debt. If new information materially changes the underwriting decision resulting in a denial of your credit request, if the loan fails to close for a reason outside of Rocket Mortgage’s control, including, but not limited to satisfactory insurance, appraisal and title report/search, or if you no longer want to proceed with the loan, your participation in the program will be discontinued. If your eligibility in the program does not change and your mortgage loan does not close due to a Rocket Mortgage error, you will receive the $1,000. Client must submit the claim to Help@RocketMortgage.com or contact Client Relations at 1-800-863-4332 to complete and return a claim form to Client Relations in order to claim the $1,000. Additional information will be required for tax purposes. This offer does not apply to new purchase loans submitted to Rocket Mortgage through a mortgage broker. Rocket Mortgage reserves the right to cancel this offer at any time. Acceptance of this offer constitutes the acceptance of these terms and conditions, which are subject to change at the sole discretion of Rocket Mortgage. Additional conditions or exclusions may apply.