How Long Does it Take to Negotiate on Your House? 5 Tips for Sellers to Keep the Deal Moving

Dusty Rhodes • October 5, 2020

Did you know that stress literally changes the way our brains perceive time?


When we’re faced with a frightening or traumatic experience, anecdotal evidence has shown that the way we experience time fundamentally shifts. A mere split second can feel like something much longer when we’re dealing with extreme stress, like we do when we sense that danger may be imminent.


That’s why it feels like an eternity and a half when you’re waiting to hear from your agent after hearing those magic words: “We’ve got an offer on the way.” Even though real estate negotiations don’t typically take more than a few days once the ball begins rolling, it feels like forever when you’re going through the stress of negotiating a home sale—one that 40% of home buyers rank as the top source of stress in modern life.


While some serious patience is required for smart negotiation, you don’t just have to sit back and twiddle your thumbs. We chatted with the pros to get a sense of how long negotiation takes, what factors can impact negotiations, and how you and your agent help to keep things moving.


Tick-tock! How long til you’ve got an offer on lock?

So just how long will you be in limbo while you wait to lock in an offer on your house?


The good news is that in most cases, the back and forth between a buyer and seller on the purchase offer should only last a short 1 to 3 days, according to top agents in the business.


Barring any circumstances like a bidding war or an especially indecisive or unavailable buyer (which could potentially extend the process by as much as a week or so), negotiations will only take a few hours. You could have an offer at lunch and be signing the paperwork to make it official by dinner.


“Normally, when it comes to pricing and getting a sale price, you’re back and forth at most three times,” said Chris Ognek, a top-selling agent in Fredericksburg, VA who’s negotiated over 400 real estate deals to date. “By that point, you’ve gotten the seller and the buyer to their breaking point. I very rarely ever see it go past that.”


That not only allows opportunity for consideration of counteroffers, but also lets both the buyer and seller know that both parties are serious about coming to an agreement in good faith and a timely manner. Let’s go through a few key points to know about this process:


What’s up for negotiation during the offer stage?


Up for negotiation during the offer stage are the purchase price, closing date, closing costs, earnest money, and buyer’s contingencies such as those terms related to financing, the home inspection, and the home appraisal. If the buyer wants to add any special contingencies, such as buying contingent on the sale of their current home, that could take up more time in negotiations.


This is also the time when the seller would need to disclose any attachments to the home they plan to take in the move (such as a stove, refrigerator, or window treatments) and the buyer would have the opportunity to request it stay.


But of all the points of negotiation, pricing tends to be the biggest make-or-break variable.


When do offer negotiations start and stop?


Negotiations start after a buyer makes their initial offer to the seller. Because it’s often mutually beneficial to move forward as quickly as possible, the length of negotiations comes down to how fast the agents can communicate their client’s interest and get the deal down in writing.


Offer negotiations then officially stop when both the buyer and seller have signed the purchase offer that details the agreed upon price and terms.


Are home sale negotiations over after you’ve signed the purchase contract?


No, the door will reopen for negotiations depending on the results of the home inspection and home appraisal but the process will need to keep moving in order to meet the closing date deadline noted in the contract.


If unexpected issues with the house or a low appraisal throw a wrench in the closing, then you have what’s called a delayed settlement. All in all closing on a house typically lasts between 30-45 days.

How do counter offers work and how can they impact the offer negotiation time period?


A counteroffer is the seller’s response to the buyer’s initial offer. It tells the buyer that you’re open to their offer, but you need one or more of the terms outlined to be tweaked to suit your needs. A buyer can then submit a counter-counteroffer, and there’s no limit to how many times offers can be volleyed back and forth. Again, though, 3 presented offers/counteroffers is usually the max.


According to Ognek, most of the time sellers and buyers make a counteroffer for the purposes of hashing out a sales price, as well as any seller subsidies like covering closing costs. Other issues that are commonly covered by counteroffers include:

  • The amount of the earnest money deposit
  • Timelines for contingencies
  • Closing dates
  • Addition or exclusion of personal items (like furniture or appliances)
  • Change of service providers (for inspection, repairs, etc.)


Just as buyers can withdraw an offer up until the point when it’s officially accepted, so can sellers. There are many scenarios in which this is a reasonable course of action.


One common reason for a seller to withdraw a counteroffer might be if a better offer is received before the potential buyer agrees to the amended terms. In that case, the seller can simply withdraw their offer, meaning that the first buyer is no longer in the running.


The importance of the “time is of the essence” clause


You may have heard the term “time is of the essence” in relation to real estate contracts, but what does that mean for you as a seller?


When a contract states that time is of the essence, it serves as a legal reminder to all parties involved that the clock is ticking. In home negotiations, “time is of the essence” indicates that the actions of one party depend on a response from the other party within the time specified. If that doesn’t occur, it can be considered a breach of contract.


If you don’t use the phrase in your contract, it can come back to bite you in a big way. In one legal case from 2008 where two parties entered a contract without using the term, a court found that the agreed-upon closing date was not enforceable because the contract didn’t specifically state that time is of the essence. These five words act as legal protection if the process starts to drag on for longer than it should.


So, since time is such an important factor when selling your home, what can you do to make sure negotiations keep moving?


1. Get your priorities together before negotiations even start.


Price is a huge sticking point when it comes to selling your home, but it’s not the only issue to consider when you’re figuring out what you really need to get out of your sale.


Before you even start fielding offers from prospective buyers, take the time to think about what matters the most to you and identify your priorities accordingly.


There are so many factors that go into every home sale, so it’s important to pinpoint ahead of time where you have room to compromise (and where you don’t). If you haven’t figured out whether you really want to fight to take your window treatments with you or even where your price bottom line lies, you’ll be put on the spot when it’s time to make those decisions during negotiation.


Establishing your priorities ahead of time means that you’ll be able to act more swiftly (and confidently) when the clock is ticking.


Choose one or two must-haves, and be willing to negotiate on the rest. Whether you’re most focused on price, timing, contingencies or anything else, your listing agent will be able to help you remain focused on the bottom line.


2. Gain leverage off the bat with a smart pricing strategy.


Pricing your home correctly is the number one way to tip the scales in favor of a swift sale with quick negotiations. Go into your negotiations with the understanding that the process takes time, and that the strategy for closing quickly is going to be different than negotiating with a high price as a priority.


“To move negotiations along, you should offer your best position. This will not result in the highest price,” explained Bruce Ailion, an award-winning real estate broker and licensed attorney.


“Skillful negotiation takes time. It requires understanding of the other person’s needs and concerns. It takes time to cook.

Roasting a chicken in 15 minutes doesn’t turn out a great roasted chicken.”


Work with your agent to pinpoint the lowest offer you’d consider accepting and think of any higher offers as a bonus. Aggressive pricing right off the bat can make a huge difference when it comes to getting bites on your listing. On the other hand, if you’ve got time to kill, then negotiate away but know that buyers won’t wait around forever.


3. Whatever you do, don’t ice out your prospective buyers.


Game theory might tell you that it’s a power move to make your opponent sweat waiting for your next move, but that couldn’t be further from the case in real estate negotiations. Not only does a prompt response go a long way in generating trust and good faith, but it could be the difference between making a deal and missing out.


“If it goes too long—and sometimes too long is the next day—both sides start to get nervous,” said Ognek. “Buyers don’t stop looking at houses, even after they’re in a contract. They continue to look at houses.” Because of this, the clock starts ticking for sellers from the moment the buyer submits an offer.


Ognek advises sellers to be expeditious when moving forward. During the negotiation process, your agent should communicate with buyers frequently.


As your representative, the agent needs to check in with the buyer’s agent every 4 to 6 hours, even if it’s just to let them know that you don’t have an update quite yet. Proper communication will put everyone’s minds at ease, and stress levels will be significantly lowered.


4. Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.


The last thing you want when selling a house is to be forced into bad decisions because you’re pressed for time.


For example, if your goal is to sell your home sometime during the spring, talk to a listing agent 6 months before you’re hoping to put it on the market.


“Planning is everything,” said Ognek. “I take my springtime sellers’ pictures in the fall. March is an ideal time in my area to list, but the grass is still brown and the trees don’t have any leaves. That doesn’t help for marketing.”


Instead, Ognek’s photos show green grass and lush foliage, giving his properties a leg up over those with less appealing photos.


The worst case scenario that could come from connecting with an agent too early is that they’ll tell you to come back in a month or two and give you advice on what projects to tackle in the meantime. Either way, you’ll know you’re on the right track.

5. Work with an agent who’s got negotiating experience.


The decision to hire a top-ranked real estate agent may have an even bigger impact on your offer negotiations than you realize. When you set out to select your agent, you should look at their performance when it comes to sale-to-list price ratio—the higher the ratio, the more money they are able to net their seller clients on average.


An agent who’s facilitated a lot of transactions will also have negotiated through a broad range of scenarios and know how to navigate your home sale accordingly.


So, how long does negotiation take? The answer is, it depends.


The truth is we’re all about as impatient as a kid in the back of the car yelling “Are we there yet?” every 10 minutes. But the back and forth nature of a home sale means that the length of negotiations is largely dependent on how quickly and efficiently you’re able to communicate with the buyer and where you rank your own priorities.


If you’ve got a need for speed, then you can negotiate faster but potentially will have to make more compromises to keep the deal moving. On the other hand, crafting a deal that checks all your boxes when it comes to terms and pricing might take a little longer. Tell your agent what matters to you most and leave the hardballing to the pros—then, no matter how long negotiations go, you can trust you’ll end up with a “Sold” sign in the yard.


Source: HomeLight


Dusty Rhodes Properties is the Best Realtor in Myrtle Beach! We do everything in our power to help you find the home of your dreams. With experience, expertise, and passion, we are the perfect partner for you in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We love what we do and it shows. With more than 22 years of experience in the field, we know our industry like the back of our hands. There’s no challenge too big or too small, and we dedicate our utmost energy to every project we take on. We search thousands of the active and new listings from Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Garden City Beach, Longs, Loris, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach real estate listings to find the hottest deals just for you!

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Here’s Where To Start if You’re Selling and Buying at the Same Time

By Dusty Rhodes • August 3, 2026
If you’re a homeowner getting ready to move , one question usually comes first: should you buy your next home before you sell, or sell your current house before you start looking? There’s no single right answer. The best call depends on your finances, your local market, and your timeline. And a trusted agent can help you weigh all of it. But in a lot of cases these days, selling first puts you in the stronger spot. The Advantages of Selling First Selling is usually the trickier half of a move today, so getting it done first clears your biggest hurdle. And that’s especially true right now , because there are more homes for sale than there are buyers, which means houses are taking longer to sell than they did a year or two ago. So how does leading with your sale pay off? Let’s start with the money. 1. You Won’t Get Stuck Paying Two Mortgages Buy before you sell, and you could end up carrying two mortgages at once. And especially since houses are staying on the market longer these days, that overlap may drag on for more time than you’d planned. And if unexpected repairs come up, it could get even more expensive. Selling first takes that risk off the table, so you’re not multitasking homeownership. As Ramsey Solutions puts it: “It’s best to sell your old home before buying a new one to avoid unnecessary risks and possible headaches.“ 2. You Can Use Your Equity To Fuel Your Move This is always true, but one of the biggest perks of selling first is that you’ll know exactly how much money you’re walking away with. And one of the big figures that matters in that conversation is how much equity you have in your current place. Equity is basically your house’s value minus what you still owe on your mortgage. And it adds up fast. According to Realtor.com , homeowners who’ve been in their home for 5 years have about $180,000 in equity on average. And those who’ve had their home for 6-10 years? They have over $340,000. After you sell, you can use that money to cover your down payment or even buy your next home in cash. And knowing that profit up front helps you plan your next move. 3. Your Offer Will Be Hard To Pass Up When your house is already sold, you don’t have to make your offer contingent on that sale. In a market where buyers are taking their time, that’s exactly what a seller wants to see. Picture it from the seller’s side. If their house has been sitting for a while, they’ll gravitate toward the offer most likely to close without a snag. That can also give you room to ask for a little more, like repairs, since a motivated seller would rather keep things moving than lose you and wait for another offer to come in. Your agent can help you make the most of your upper hand in that scenario. Is There a Catch? Selling first has its tradeoffs too, and it helps to see the pros and cons side by side before you decide. Here’s a quick breakdown based on information from Zillow (see visual below) : 

7 Reasons to Use Real Estate Drone Photography for Your Listing

By Dusty Rhodes • July 26, 2026
Online listing photos often shape a buyer’s first impression of a home. They want to understand the home’s setting, the size of the lot, and what makes the property unique before deciding whether it’s worth a visit. That’s one reason real estate drone photography has become a popular addition to many listings. That said, aerial photography isn’t a must-have for every home. Whether you’re selling a home in Houston, TX or listing a rental in Asheville, NC , knowing when to use this style of professional photography can help highlight the features that matter most to buyers. Here are seven situations where real estate drone photography can make a listing more compelling. Key takeaways: Best for homes where the setting is part of the selling point. Shows lot size, layout, and nearby amenities at a glance. Helps buyers visualize features that aren’t visible from the ground. Less valuable for standard homes on small lots. Should be performed by a licensed drone operator following local regulations. 1. The property sits on a large lot or acreage Large properties are difficult to capture from the ground. Aerial photos show the property’s full footprint and help buyers appreciate how much land they’re getting. Bradley Harkey, owner at LuxRE Photos , says drone photography is especially valuable for homes with room to grow. “Drone photography can really be essential when you are selling a home with a lot of land. A view from above can showcase the potential even when it’s not exactly obvious from the ground.” He says buyers often struggle to picture what an undeveloped yard could become. “Oftentimes an unprepped backyard can just look like a bunch of weeds to a potential buyer, but when seen from above, you can visualize where that pool can go, or that basketball hoop, or that go-kart track you always wanted as a kid. Some homes have so much potential, but it’s hard to see between the weeds.” Whether it’s acreage, an equestrian property , or simply a spacious backyard, aerial images help buyers see the property’s potential. 2. The home has waterfront views or scenic surroundings Some of a home’s best features aren’t visible from the front yard. Waterfront access, mountain views, wooded privacy, and distinctive architecture all benefit from an elevated perspective. Doug Smith, principal and founder of Houzpics LLC , explains, “Aerial photography is especially valuable for waterfront or estates with large, feature-rich lots, multi-story architecture, and homes with scenic surroundings. Aerial images help buyers understand the property’s layout and highlight features that traditional ground-level photos may not fully capture.” Rather than focusing only on the home, aerial photography showcases the entire setting.

Psychology says people who keep going back to the beach aren’t just relaxing, they may be restoring something deeper

By Dusty Rhodes • July 21, 2026
Some people enjoy the beach. Others seem drawn to it. They choose beach vacations over city breaks. They find excuses to visit the coast whenever they can. They feel calmer the moment they hear waves crashing or catch sight of the ocean on the horizon. Friends and family may joke that they're "obsessed" with the beach, but psychology suggests there may be more happening beneath the surface. For many people, a love of the beach is not simply about sunshine, swimming, or beautiful views. Research suggests that coastal environments may provide something the modern brain desperately needs: a chance to recover from constant mental demands. Attention Restoration Theory may explain the attraction to the beach One of the most influential explanations comes from Attention Restoration Theory, developed by environmental psychologists Rachel Kaplan and Stephen Kaplan. The theory suggests that everyday life requires large amounts of what researchers call directed attention. This is the mental effort people use to focus during meetings, answer emails, ignore distractions, make decisions, navigate traffic, and manage responsibilities. Over time, directed attention becomes fatigued. Natural environments appear to affect the brain differently. The Kaplans proposed that nature creates a state known as soft fascination. Instead of demanding concentration, environments such as beaches gently hold attention without effort. As a result, the brain gets an opportunity to recover from mental fatigue . For frequent beachgoers, this may help explain why a few hours by the ocean often feels more restorative than an entire day spent indoors. Research on blue spaces supports the idea Psychologists and public health researchers often use the term blue spaces to describe environments that contain visible water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and coastlines. Over the past decade, a growing body of research has linked blue-space exposure to improved psychological well-being . A 2020 research, Blue space, health and well-being: A narrative overview and synthesis of potential benefits, led by environmental psychologist Mathew White has found that people who spend more time near coastal environments often report better mental health and higher life satisfaction. The authors propose that water environments may improve mental health through several connected pathways: Increased physical activity (people walk, swim, or move more near water) Psychological restoration (reduced mental fatigue and stress) Social interaction (waterfronts often encourage gathering and recreation) Environmental effects such as improved air quality and aesthetic satisfaction Importantly, the review also highlights that blue spaces share similarities with green spaces (like parks and forests), but water environments may have unique psychological effects due to their sensory characteristics and emotional associations. Why the ocean feels different from other environments Many people report feeling calmer almost immediately when they arrive at the beach. Psychologists believe part of the reason may be the unique combination of sensory experiences. The sound of waves is rhythmic and predictable. The horizon creates a sense of openness. The movement of water captures attention without overwhelming it. Unlike social media feeds, traffic, news alerts, and crowded urban environments, the beach provides relatively low levels of cognitive demand. In simple terms, the ocean gives the brain less work to do. That reduction in mental effort may help explain why people often describe feeling lighter, calmer, or more clear-headed after spending time near the water. Place Attachment Theory says beaches can become part of identity For some people, the connection goes beyond relaxation. Psychologists study a concept known as place attachment, which refers to the emotional bond people develop with specific locations. Certain places become connected to family memories, childhood experiences, important life events, or feelings of belonging. Over time, the beach may become more than a destination. It becomes part of a person's identity. This may explain why some individuals return to the same stretch of coastline year after year, even when countless other travel options are available.