Pending
A listing status meaning the home is under contract with a buyer, waiting to close. It's not usually available for new offers.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
Pending tells the market your home is spoken for. Most buyers filter it out, showings usually stop, and the listing sits there until it closes or comes back.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
Your listing goes pending. Showing requests stop the same day, and the portals show the home as under contract.
| The status | What tends to happen |
|---|---|
| Pending | Showings stop; buyers move on |
| Pending, then back to active | The market notices; the relisting gets a second, harder look |
| Pending, then closed | The listing becomes a comp |
Pending pauses the market for your home. It is not sold yet.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That pending means done. About one sale in six falls out of contract, and pending is where it happens.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
One piece of your sale. Here is where all the pieces live.
In your room, this word explains itself where it appears.
Keighbor keeps your whole home sale in one place and defines every term like this one right where you meet it, in the step you're on. Free to set up, with or without an agent.