# Pending

> A listing status that means the seller has accepted an offer and the home is no longer on the market while the sale moves toward closing. Each MLS defines pending a little differently, and some pending sales still fall through.

Also called: under contract, sale pending, pending sale. Topic: Contracts, agents and the MLS.

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](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary/multiple-listing-service) writes its own status rules, pending can mean slightly different things depending on where you live.

## 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](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary/contingency) are cleared or the seller stops taking backup offers. Others use it as soon as a contract is signed.

While a home is pending, the buyer and seller are working through the [purchase agreement](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#purchase-agreement): the loan, the title work, the final walkthrough and [closing](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#closing).

## Pending vs. contingent vs. active under contract

These statuses overlap, and MLSs name them differently. [Active under contract](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#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](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#contingent) is the label some areas use for that same stage. Pending usually means the home is off the market.

If you love a home that shows any of these, have your agent ask the [listing agent](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#listing-agent) whether the seller is accepting backup offers.

## 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](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#back-on-market), and many MLSs show that history.

A pending sale that falls through doesn’t always mean something is wrong with the house. Ask what happened before you assume the worst.

## 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](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#underwriting).

Watch the deadlines while you wait. Each contingency in the contract has its own date, and once the buyer completes [contingency removal](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#contingency-removal), walking away becomes riskier and can cost the buyer their earnest money.

## 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 or different rules.

## 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 into first position.

### 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 offer is accepted.

### 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 off the market.

## Related terms

- [Active under contract](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#active-under-contract): A listing status for a home where the seller has accepted an offer but the listing stays on the market, often because contingencies are still open and the seller is taking backup offers. Each MLS defines it in its own words.
- [Contingent](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#contingent): A status for a home with an accepted offer that still depends on conditions, such as an inspection, financing, an appraisal or the sale of the buyer’s current home. Some MLSs use this word, others say active under contract.
- [Back on market](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#back-on-market): A label for a home that was under contract and is listed as active again, usually because the deal fell through over financing, an inspection or a change of plans. It doesn’t always mean something is wrong with the home.
- [Contingency removal](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#contingency-removal): The point when a buyer gives up a contingency, either in writing or by letting its deadline pass, depending on the contract. After that, backing out for that reason can cost the buyer their earnest money.
- [Closing](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary#closing): Closing is the final step of a real estate sale, when the buyer and seller sign the documents, the money changes hands and the deed is recorded, transferring ownership to the buyer.
- [Multiple listing service](https://brokerandagent.com/glossary/multiple-listing-service): A private database where member brokerages share listings so agents can find homes for their buyers. Each MLS covers a local or regional market and sets its own rules and statuses, and most home search websites show its listings.

## Sources

- [RESO Data Dictionary: StandardStatus field](https://dd.reso.org/DD2.0/Property/StandardStatus/)
- [NAR: MLS policy](https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/policies/mls-policy)

Checked 2026-10-02 by the Broker & Agent team. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.

Source: https://brokerandagent.com/glossary/pending