Contingent vs. Pending vs. Under Contract: What Listing Statuses Mean

Contingent, pending and under contract all describe a home that has an accepted offer, but they signal different levels of certainty. In Northern Virginia, the official labels come from Bright MLS: Active Under Contract means the contract still has contingencies and the seller may accept backup offers, while Pending means the contract is moving toward settlement with no more showings. “Contingent” and “under contract” are the terms you’ll see on consumer websites and hear in conversation.

The official Bright MLS statuses

Bright MLS is the multiple listing service used by agents across Northern Virginia, DC, Maryland and beyond. Its status definitions are the source of truth for what you see on listing feeds. Here are the ones buyers and sellers ask about most.

Bright MLS status	What it means	Can you still see or offer on it?
Coming Soon	Listing is being prepared for market; no showings yet	No showings; contact the listing agent for details
Active	On the market, no ratified contract	Yes, showings and offers
Active Under Contract	Ratified contract with contingencies still open	Often yes, for backup offers, if the seller allows showings
Pending	Ratified contract; no showings or backup offers	Generally no
Temporarily Off Market	Seller has paused showings	Not while paused
Withdrawn	Marketing stopped, listing agreement still in effect	Not currently
Closed	Settlement complete	No, it has sold

Two details matter for anyone tracking homes. Days on market stop accumulating while a listing is Active Under Contract or Pending, and status changes are reported by listing agents, so there can be a short lag between a contract being ratified and the status updating.

What “contingent” really means

A contingency is a condition in the contract that lets a party exit or renegotiate if something doesn’t happen. In Northern Virginia contracts, the common ones are:

• Home inspection contingency: the buyer’s right to inspect and negotiate or void within a set number of days.
• Financing contingency: protection if the buyer’s loan isn’t approved by a stated date.
• Appraisal contingency: protection if the home appraises below the price (see how appraisals work).
• Home sale contingency: the buyer needs to sell another home first, often paired with a kick-out clause for the seller.
• HOA or condo document review: under Virginia’s Resale Disclosure Act, buyers get a short window to review association documents and can cancel within it. My guide to the Virginia resale certificate explains the timing.

Once these contingencies are satisfied or removed, the listing agent typically changes the status from Active Under Contract to Pending.

“Under contract” is the umbrella term

Under contract simply means a buyer and seller have signed, ratified a purchase agreement and delivered it. It covers both Active Under Contract and Pending. When a friend says their house is under contract, ask whether contingencies are still open. That answer tells you how close to the finish line they really are.

How portals translate statuses

Real estate websites receive MLS data and display it using their own vocabulary. One site may show an Active Under Contract home as “contingent,” another as “pending,” and some may hide it from default searches entirely. If a home you like disappears from your saved search, ask your agent to check the MLS directly rather than assuming it sold.

Making a backup offer on an Active Under Contract home

Backup offers are legitimate and sometimes successful. If the first contract falls apart over inspection, financing or a home sale contingency, the seller can move to the backup buyer without going back on the market. Here’s how I approach it with buyers:

1. Ask the listing agent whether the seller is accepting backup offers and what contingencies remain open.
2. Write your offer with a backup addendum so your contract only becomes primary if the first one ends.
3. Keep your deposit, financing and timelines clear, since the backup position may convert on short notice.
4. Keep looking. A backup contract can tie you up, so understand your right to withdraw before it becomes primary.
5. Keep your payment estimates and lender preapproval current, because a backup can activate weeks later.

A worked example of status changes

Illustrative timeline only. A Fairfax County townhouse goes live as Active on a Thursday. By Sunday, the seller ratifies an offer with a 10-day inspection contingency, a financing contingency and an appraisal contingency.

• Day 1 after ratification: Status changes to Active Under Contract. The seller keeps showings open for backups, and a second buyer submits a backup offer.
• Day 9: Inspection negotiations conclude with a repair credit, and the buyer removes the inspection contingency.
• Day 21: The appraisal comes in at value and the lender issues a loan commitment. With contingencies satisfied, the listing moves to Pending and showings stop.
• Day 35: Settlement occurs, and the listing changes to Closed.

If the first buyer had walked away on day 9, the backup buyer would have become primary without the home ever returning to Active.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a home that vanished from a website has sold, when it is only Active Under Contract.
• Treating Active Under Contract as Pending and skipping a backup offer on a home you love.
• Sellers removing all showings too early, before contingencies clear, and losing backup interest.
• Buyers in a backup position not reading how and when they can withdraw.
• Forgetting that days on market pause during contract statuses, which can make history look shorter than it was.

Sellers deciding whether to accept a contingent offer may also find my CMA explainer useful for judging how strong the price is relative to recent sales.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still make an offer on a house that is contingent?

Yes, in many cases. If the listing is Active Under Contract in Bright MLS, the seller may accept backup offers. Ask your agent to confirm with the listing agent.

How long does a house stay pending?

Pending usually lasts until settlement, which in Northern Virginia is commonly about three to six weeks after ratification for financed purchases. Cash purchases can close faster.

Does pending mean the sale is guaranteed?

No. Pending deals are further along, but they can still fail over issues like a loan denial or title problem. They just fail less often than deals with open contingencies.

What is the difference between under contract and pending?

Under contract is the general term for any home with a ratified offer. Pending is a specific Bright MLS status meaning the contract is moving to settlement and showings have stopped. For contract questions specific to your deal, a Virginia real estate attorney can help.