Under offer
Under offer means a seller has received or accepted an offer on a home. The sale is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged.
Under offer is a label estate agents put on a listing once a buyer has made an offer. It tells other buyers that the home may no longer be available.
Most agents use it once the seller has accepted an offer. Some use it a little earlier, while an offer is still being considered. Either way, the sale is not legally binding at this stage.
Under offer and sold subject to contract
Many agents treat under offer and sold subject to contract as the same thing. Where an agent uses both, under offer usually comes first and sold subject to contract follows once the offer has been formally accepted and the memorandum of sale sent out.
If the label matters to you, ask the agent what they mean by it. The answer tells you whether the seller has agreed a price or is still weighing offers.
Can you still make an offer?
Yes. In England and Wales neither side is bound until exchange of contracts. You can still make an offer on a home that is under offer, and the agent must pass it on to the seller unless the seller has said otherwise.
If the seller then accepts the new, higher offer and drops the first buyer, this is known as gazumping. It is legal, although many sellers prefer to stay with a buyer who is already part way through the process.
Why some homes come back on the market
A home that is under offer can return to the market if the sale falls through. This can happen after a survey, a low mortgage valuation, or a break in the property chain. The asking price may be the same as before, or it may change.
What it means for sold prices
An offer under consideration is not a sold price. The price is only recorded by HM Land Registry after the sale completes and is registered. Until then, the figure that is public is the asking price, which may be different from what the buyer ends up paying.
| Used by | Estate agents on listings |
| Offer status | Usually accepted, sometimes still being considered |
| Legally binding | No |
| Other offers | Can still be made and must be passed on |
Related terms
Sold subject to contract · Exchange of contracts · Gazumping · Asking price · Property chain