Six Reasons for an Agent ‘No Response’ to an Offer

There are several reasons that a seller's agent might not get back to you after you make an offer on a house. Eak.Temwanich/Shutterstock

Dear Monty: Our agent (buyer’s agent) presented our “as-is” full-price offer to the seller’s agent. The seller’s agent has not responded, and it’s been 72 hours. What are my options to get the seller’s agent to respond?

Monty’s Answer: A critical piece of information influencing my answer is missing. What is the acceptance date? You gave the seller a specific date to react to your offer. If that date has not passed, the proposal is still active. If the acceptance date has passed, the offer has expired. If it has expired, the seller has already reacted. They have rejected your offer by not responding.

The Active Offer

If the offer remains active, it is unclear whether your buyer agent has attempted to speak with the seller’s agent. Successful negotiations most often require good communication. Assuming your agent tried to communicate, here are some (not all) possible reasons the listing agent has not responded: