A home usually moves to pending after the seller accepts an offer, and stays there until it closes or the deal falls apart. Because every MLS writes its own status rules, pending can mean slightly different things depending on
What does pending mean on a listing?
In the shared definitions published by RESO, the standards group for MLS data, pending means an offer has been accepted and the listing is no longer on the market. Some MLSs switch a home to pending only once the buyer’s contingencies are cleared or the seller stops taking backup offers. Others use it as soon as a
While a home is pending, the buyer and seller are working through the purchase agreement: the loan, the title work, the final walkthrough and closing.
Pending vs. contingent vs. active under contract
These statuses overlap, and MLSs name them differently. Active under contract usually means the home has an accepted offer but stays on the market, often because contingencies are still open and the seller will take backup offers. Contingent is the label some areas use for that same stage. Pending usually means the home is
If you love a home that shows any of these, have your agent ask the listing agent whether the seller is
Can a pending sale fall through?
Yes. Financing can fail, an appraisal can come in low, title problems can surface, or a buyer can back out under a contingency. When that happens, the home goes back on the market, and many MLSs
A pending sale that falls through doesn’t always mean something is wrong with the house. Ask what happened before you
How long does a home stay pending?
Until it closes, which depends on the closing date in the contract and how quickly the loan and title work move. Cash purchases can close quickly; financed purchases usually take longer because of the lender’s underwriting.
Watch the deadlines while you wait. Each contingency in the contract has its own date, and once the buyer completes contingency removal, walking away becomes riskier and can cost the buyer
Common listing statuses side by side
| Coming soon | Signed with a listing agent but not on the market yet; showing rules vary by MLS |
|---|---|
| Active | On the market with no accepted offer |
| Active under contract | Offer accepted, still on the market, often taking backup offers |
| Contingent | Offer accepted with conditions still open; some MLSs use this instead of active under contract |
| Pending | Offer accepted and no longer on the market |
| Closed or sold | The sale is complete |
| Withdrawn | Off the market, but the listing agreement is still in effect |
| Expired | The listing agreement ended without a sale |
Based on the standard statuses in the RESO Data Dictionary. Your local MLS may use different names, extra statuses
Common mistakes
- Assuming pending means sold. The sale isn’t
final until closing. - Thinking you can’t make an offer on a pending home. Some sellers
accept backup offers. - Treating every MLS’s pending the same. Definitions
vary by market.
Questions
Can you still buy a house that is pending?
Sometimes. Ask whether the seller accepts backup offers; if the first deal falls through, a backup offer can move
Does pending mean the contingencies are removed?
Often, but not always. Some MLSs move a home to pending only after contingencies are cleared, while others use it as soon as an
Is pending the same as under contract?
People use the terms loosely. Under contract means there’s an accepted offer; pending is the MLS status many markets use for that stage once the home is
Sources
Written and checked by the Broker & Agent team on October 2, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Something out of date? Tell us.