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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Before You Fall in Love with a House, Do This First.

By Dusty Rhodes • April 20, 2026
Be honest. Have you started looking at homes online yet? If you have, it’s already time to get pre-approved . Because here’s what not enough people know. If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – you don’t want to wait until later on in the process to tackle this step. No matter what you’ve heard, pre-approval isn’t about commitment . It’s about clarity . And here are the two big ways pre-approval sets you up for success. You Know Your Numbers Up Front During the pre-approval process, a lender will walk through your finances and tell you what you can borrow based on your income, debts, credit score , and more. And once you have that number, your search becomes a lot more focused. With a mortgage pre-approval, you know what you can borrow, so it’s easier to figure out your ideal price point, and what you can actually afford. And that clarity is key. Because if you just start browsing online and just guess at your price point, you run the risk of falling for a house that’s outside of your price range – or missing out on ones that aren’t. You want this number to be clearly defined before your search. Here’s why. You Can Move Quickly When You Find the One This is how a lot of home searches go today. You scroll through listings just to see what’s out there, and then it happens. You fall in love with something you’ve seen online. If you’re already pre-approved? You’re probably in great shape. But if you’re not… Instead of being able to jump on that house and quickly make an offer, you have to scramble to get a lender, gather the financial documents, and then submit the necessary pre-approval paperwork first. And while you’re waiting to hear back from your lender, someone else who’s more prepared could beat you to the house. As Bankrate explains: “The best time to get a mortgage preapproval is before you start looking for a home. If you find a home you love but don’t have a preapproval in hand, you likely won’t have time to get preapproved before you need to make an offer...” And that’s avoidable, with the right prep. Because while you can’t control when the right home shows up, you can be ready for it. Think of it like showing up to the starting line with your shoes tied and your warm-up done – while everyone else is still looking for parking. It’s not about rushing your timeline. It’s about removing the delay between finding the right home and being able to move on it. One Thing You Need To Know About Pre-Approvals Speaking of timing, pre-approvals do have an expiration date. So, be sure to ask your lender how long it’s good for. The Mortgage Reports explains: “ Mortgage preapproval letters are typically valid for anywhere from 30 to 90 days. However, a preapproval can be updated and extended if the lender re-checks your information.” Doing the right prep and knowing this information can make the whole process a lot smoother. You don’t have to be ready to buy to be ready to buy. Getting pre-approved doesn’t mean you’re committing to buy right now. It just means you’ve taken a step to understand your numbers. And when a home catches your attention, you’re prepped and good to go. Bottom Line Ask yourself this: if your perfect home popped up tomorrow, would you be ready to make a move? If the answer is no and you want to buy, it may be time to get pre-approved. You don’t feel behind before your search even officially kicks off.

How to Form New Habits To Keep Your Home Clutter-Free

By Dusty Rhodes • April 13, 2026
Tired of an untidy house? Try a new approach by adopting habits that automatically keep your home orderly Keeping our homes orderly and free of clutter is a struggle for many of us, especially if we’re not naturally organized . If you fall into this category, there’s definitely hope — you just may need to change your habits. Before you roll your eyes and shrug off that idea as impossible, let me tell you what has helped me keep a tidier home. I tried a concept called the “habit loop,” which is described in The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, the best-selling book by Charles Duhigg. The habit loop consists of three steps: cue, routine and reward. The cue is a reminder that initiates the new behavior. The routine is the behavior itself. The reward is the benefit you get from implementing the new behavior. Duhigg says that during the first two weeks of developing a new habit, it’s important to give yourself a treat that you really enjoy right after you complete the new behavior. This will teach your brain to enjoy the new routine. While I’m a professional organizer and really do enjoy decluttering and organizing, I also have an extremely busy life and like to do a lot of other things besides organizing my house. Using the habit loop really helped me get into daily, automatic tidying habits. Perhaps this approach could offer a fresh, effective way for you too to conquer clutter in your home. Here’s how I use it. Tackle Your Own Spaces First If you want to form new no-clutter habits, it’s usually easiest to begin by dealing with your own possessions in spaces you don’t share with all family members. Personally, I live with some wonderful but messy people, so if you’re in the same situation, I recommend you start with your bedroom and bathroom. Duhigg says there’s no precise time frame for how long it takes to form a new habit, but other researchers report it takes 21 to 66 days or even longer. Personally, I needed 21 to 45 days of the habit loop to form a new habit, depending on what the routine was. After that, the behavior became automatic. 1. Make your bed. No matter how messy the bedroom is, a made bed makes it neater. To create a cue for making the bed, pick something you do without fail every day, such as turning off your alarm. It’s best to do the new behavior as soon as possible after the reminder. (I sometimes get distracted if I don’t make my bed right after my cue, and then the bed might remain unmade all day.) After you make the bed — or, for that matter, after you do any new task you’re trying to make habitual — be sure to reward yourself. Your reward can be as simple as a silent “Good job!” you tell yourself or as ritualistic as brewing your morning cup of coffee and then enjoying sipping it. Just remember to give yourself a compliment or perk for working toward your tidy-house goal. 2. Clear your bathroom counters. Brushing my teeth has become the cue I use to trigger my habit of clearing my bathroom counters both morning and night. Each morning after I brush, I put away my makeup, hair products, blow dryer and toothpaste. Then I wipe off the water that has collected on the countertops. I repeat the routine at night, putting away my lotion and other nighttime beauty products. Then I congratulate myself on a job well done. Though I didn’t get it right the first few days, within 21 days I knew I’d managed to develop this habit when I automatically began clearing the counters after brushing. For me, coming home to a clean bathroom is the greatest reward! 3. Put away your attire after wearing it. On most days I wear two different outfits, one for work and one for exercise. If I’m not paying attention to where I put my things, a mess can quickly build up. So I decided that removing my clothes would be the cue to place dirty clothes in the hamper and those I’ll wear again neatly in the closet. If you share a closet with a partner who doesn’t want to participate in this routine, you have a couple of options: You can put your partner’s clothes away or leave them out, knowing that at least half the mess is put away. Since nagging or brooding rarely changes other people’s habits, it might be better to give yourself a reward for cleaning up your own mess and move on. Tackle Common Rooms Next As you move into the common areas of your home, prepare for potential barriers to establishing tidy habits since you may be dealing with other family members’ messes. While this can be frustrating, if family members aren’t cooperative I recommend simply focusing on clearing your own mess. Hopefully, your new habits will eventually rub off on your family. If not, well, your home will still be less cluttered than it was before your new habits. 4. Unbury coffee and end tables. Your cue for clearing the tables in your living room could be turning off the television or putting down the book you were reading. Remove cups, glasses and bowls from the room’s flat surfaces and place them in the dishwasher. Put magazines back in their rack or recycle those you’ve finished reading. Place remote controls in a basket next to the television. Put away books and papers and anything else left cluttering the room. Then congratulate yourself. Your living room will look great in the morning when you start your day. 5. Clear the kitchen counters. Mail, school papers, ear buds, cellphones, vitamins, dog treats, receipts, tissue boxes, keys and more can litter kitchen countertops, making food prep difficult. Plus, this type of miscellaneous debris makes the kitchen look messy and disorganized even if cooking surfaces are cleared. My personal cue for clearing my countertops each night is closing my dishwasher door after I load it. I then scan all the miscellany on the counters and quickly sort and put everything in its place. This may take me an extra 10 minutes, but by doing it each evening I find it is easier to keep the counters clear during the day. I then reward myself with a small piece of chocolate since this habit is much harder to implement than others! My other reward is coming downstairs in the morning to a clean kitchen. 6. Tidy your front hall. I walk through my front hallway on the way to bed and use the walk as my cue to tidy up the space. We have a hall closet where I can store shoes and coats, and each family member has a basket in the closet for personal items. If you don’t have a front hall closet, you might consider storing catchall baskets under a decorative table. I tell myself, “Great job!” before I head off to bed. It’s wonderful having a clutter-free front hall, especially when unexpected visitors stop by. Develop New Habits on What You Bring Into Your Home 7. Manage your mail. Mail is a major source of clutter in many homes. To cut down on the volume, you might want to receive bills and magazines electronically. There are also tools available for unsubscribing from catalogs and unsolicited credit card offers; visit DMAchoice.org or Catalogchoice.org for more information. Even with these steps, mail still has a way of piling up and causing a mess. One relatively easy habit to develop is sorting your mail before you enter the house. I collect my mail from the mailbox and walk directly to my recycling bin, where I immediately place advertising circulars. I then open unfamiliar envelopes (which usually are ads) and toss them in the bin. Since I receive most of my statements electronically, I’m left with very little to bring inside. Remaining items go into an inbox for incoming mail. I then give myself a pat on the back for preventing clutter from entering my house. 8. Be intentional with your purchases. Another habit to consider implementing is being mindful of your purchases. I’ve developed the habit of thinking seriously about the clutter factor of every purchase before buying. As I reach for my credit card, I am reminded to stop and consider whether I already own something that will suffice. I also think about where I’m going to store the item or what I’ll get rid of to make room for the new purchase. For example, when I’m considering a new pair of pants, I ask myself what I have in my closet that might be similar. If I already have too many similar items and don’t want to part with any I already own, I skip the new purchase. I use a similar approach when considering household and kitchen items. My purchases are always intentional because I’m working hard to live in a clutter-free home. I deserve a big pat on the back for working on this habit. I’m not only reducing clutter but I’m also leaving more money in my bank account at the end of the month to spend on things I truly want or need. 

What Stays With the House When You Move?

By Dusty Rhodes • March 30, 2026
When you’re selling your home , it is natural to assume that anything you can safely remove is yours to keep—like the light fixtures you painstakingly cleaned and repaired, or the appliances you bought last year. But the truth is, the buyer may want some of those items, too, and sometimes it's better to part ways with these items for the sake of the sale. Rather than keep everything, you should decide what you'd like to keep and what you'll leave behind as a way to entice buyers into making an offer, particularly in today's market where buyers are holding more of the cards than ever. What stays with the house? Generally, certain items stay with the house when you sell and move. Some features may seem obvious, but the truth is, you're probably expected to leave more behind than you think. Some of these items can include: Built-ins: Built-in bookshelves, benches, and pull-out furniture generally stay inside the home. Landscaping: Trees, shrubs, and any flowers planted in the ground should stay in the yard. Wall mounts: If you have TV wall mounts or picture mounts that might damage the wall if you remove them, it is a good idea to leave them in place when you move. Custom-fit items: If you have custom-made curtains , plantation shutters, or blinds, leave them on the windows and doors. Hardware : If you upgraded the knobs and drawer pulls in the bathrooms and kitchen, you should either leave those behind or install replacements before you move. Alarm systems : Wireless alarm systems are designed to be removed. Otherwise, leave the alarm monitoring station attached and either relocate or cancel the monitoring service. Smoke detectors : Smoke detectors and sprinkler systems should stay in the house, especially if you plan to move before selling the house. What can you take? While you’re expected to leave some items behind, in general your belongings are yours to keep. Here are some examples: Patio furniture, lawn equipment, and play sets : If you have a wooden swing set in the backyard and a bistro table on the front porch, take those items with you. Appliances : Some lenders require that a home have an oven installed before approving a loan, but for all other appliances, it's up to you to decide what you will take and what you will offer as part of the home. Some light fixtures : Generally, homeowners leave light fixtures behind, but if you’re attached to a certain fixture, you can make arrangements with the buyer to take it. Built-in kitchen tools : If you can safely remove a mounted spice rack or the pasta arm, you can take it with you. Rugs, basic curtains, wreaths : Small decor items like rugs or curtain rods that can be safely removed can be taken. What should you consider leaving? Some of your personal items can be used to help sell your house—or increase the asking price. Before you take everything just to take it, consider offering some hot items like the following: Appliances : Homeowners, especially new homeowners, don’t always have their own appliances. Many buyers would be more likely to place an offer on a home if it came fully stocked with appliances. Custom swing and play sets : If you have a swing set or playhouse your children have outgrown and you notice a potential buyer has children, offer to include the item with the deal. Kitchen built-ins : Built-in spice racks, pantry organization, and windowsill shelves can really help sell a kitchen. Consider offering the items to an interested buyer. Light fixtures, curtains, rugs, and other upgrades : If you’ve upgraded the light fixtures or have custom rugs in the entryway, a buyer may be willing to increase his or her offer to keep those items in the home.  If you’re not sure what would entice a buyer, ask your real estate agent to provide suggestions. Don't have an agent yet? Here's how to find a real estate agent in your area.