How Long Does It Take for a Seller to Respond to My Offer in San Diego?

Offer Response Timelines in San Diego

When you submit a purchase offer in San Diego, the offer specifies an expiration date and time by which the seller must respond — accept, counter, or reject. If the seller does not respond by the expiration, the offer lapses and you are free to pursue other properties. Understanding the typical timelines helps you set appropriate expectations.

Standard Offer Expiration Windows

• Low-competition situations: Offers typically expire in 24 to 72 hours — giving the seller time to review and respond without undue pressure
• Multiple offer deadline situations: When a listing agent has set a specific offer review date, all offers typically expire at or shortly after that deadline
• Urgent situations: If you are competing and know time matters, you can set a shorter expiration — 12 to 24 hours — to create urgency
• Never set an unreasonably short expiration: Giving a seller only 2 to 3 hours to review a major financial decision rarely generates goodwill

What Happens During the Seller's Review Period

When a listing agent receives your offer, they present it to the seller. The seller reviews the terms with their agent, evaluates any competing offers, and decides whether to accept, counter, or reject. In multiple offer situations, listing agents sometimes ask for highest and best offers by a specific deadline before presenting all offers simultaneously to the seller.

What If the Seller Does Not Respond?

If a seller does not respond by your offer's expiration, the offer lapses automatically — you are not in contract. In this situation, you can resubmit the offer, submit a revised offer, or move on to other properties. A non-response sometimes signals the seller has accepted another offer but has not yet officially notified all parties.

Staying Emotionally Steady During the Wait

The period between submitting an offer and receiving a response is one of the most stressful experiences in real estate. Rieder Homes Group maintains constant communication with the listing agent during this period — providing our buyers with real-time updates and making sure our offer remains top of mind.

Related Reading on RiederHomes.com:

→ Blog #86: Making an Offer

→ Blog #94: Counter Offers

→ Blog #88: Multiple Offer Strategy

→ Blog #95: Can I Back Out?

— Mance Rieder, Broker Associate | Rieder Homes Group | REAL Broker | riederhomes.com | 858-295-0556