Pending Sale vs. Under Contract: What’s the Difference?

The main difference between pending sale and inder contract is that under contract refers to the point at which a seller has accepted an offer from a buyer whereas a pending sale occurs when the sale is in its final stages of completion.

Before we move to more differences, let’s first understand Pending Sale and Under Contract:

  • Pending Sale: A pending sale is the final stages of the transaction when the sale is in the process of being finalized.
  • Under Contract: Under contract refers to the period of time when a seller has accepted an offer from a buyer, and both parties are working through the terms of the sale.

Now, let’s get to Pending Sale vs Under Contract:

Major differences between Pending Sale and Under Contract

Pending Sale Under Contract
A property is under contract, both the buyer and seller have agreed on the terms of the sale. A pending sale only means that the seller has accepted an offer from the buyer.
A property is under contract, it is no longer available for showings and is off the market. During a pending sale, the property may still be shown to other potential buyers.
A property is under contract, the sale is in the final stages of completion. During a pending sale, there may still be contingencies that need to be met before the sale can be finalized.
A property is under contract, the seller is legally obligated to sell the property to the buyer. During a pending sale, the seller may still receive other offers and is not obligated to sell to the first buyer who made an offer.
A property is under contract, the closing date has been set and the sale is expected to be finalized on that date. During a pending sale, the closing date has not yet been set and may be subject to change.

So, these are the main differences between the entities.

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