Redfin

MARCH 18, 2025

When buying a home, youll likely come across the term earnest money – a deposit that shows the seller youre serious about the purchase. But what actually happens to that money once the deal closes? This Redfin article will break down exactly what happens to your earnest money at closing, and what to expect in different scenarios.

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HomeLight

OCTOBER 30, 2020

But is the cash closing process always seamless? A cash deal can close in as little as 7 days, while financed home purchases tend to take an average of 45 days to close. Cash purchases, too, can get held up by a range of potential delays. Why do sellers love cash so much? Because it’s fast. Not always!

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HomeLight

JULY 31, 2020

Closing on a house seems pretty straightforward. There’s a house for sale that you want to buy. Once the buyer and seller sign the contract, the closing process begins — and therein lies the rub. So the answer to “how long does it take to close on a house?” How it can delay closing. Easy, right? Yeah, not so much.

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HomeLight

JANUARY 31, 2024

You can then make a strong offer on your next home with no home sale contingency. Learn More What does contingent mean? In real estate, when a house is listed as “ contingent ,” it means the sale of the property is conditional upon certain criteria being met. How long can a house be contingent?

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HomeLight

OCTOBER 13, 2021

You’ve made it through the most challenging part of the homebuying process , and closing day is finally approaching. As you count down the days until you’re sitting across that big table with a pen in your hand, ready to sign all of those closing documents for buyers, you might want to reel in your excitement. Closing Disclosure.

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HomeLight

MARCH 20, 2023

That means a large majority of homebuyers must consider the sale of their current home prior to buying a new one. Most often, this type of scenario calls for a home sale contingency. Find a Buyer's Agent What is a home sale contingency? If the buyer’s current home sells, the sale of the new home can proceed.

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HomeLight

DECEMBER 31, 2020

You can put so much effort into prepping your house for sale that you forget what happens after you receive an offer. Putting your John Hancock on a home sale contract might feel like the completion of a major financial deal, but it’s actually just the beginning of the home sale process. What does “sale pending” mean?

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HomeLight

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

Say you’re visiting yard sales on a Saturday morning and you come across the perfect wicker patio set, exactly what you’ve been looking for. These clauses are most often used when a buyer needs to sell their current home before purchasing a new one. A contingency is a condition that must be met for the purchase to proceed.

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Redfin

JULY 28, 2020

markets waived the inspection contingency, compared with just 13.2% Winning offers waived the appraisal contingency at a similar rate—20.6%—up The inspection contingency allows the buyer to cancel a purchase or request repairs if they find an issue during the inspection period. In June, 19.9%

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HomeLight

NOVEMBER 1, 2021

Industry experts estimate that sellers can expect to pay anywhere from 6% to 10% of their home’s purchase price in closing costs when it’s time to sell. To top it off, buyers sometimes ask sellers to pitch in for their closing costs, too — another 2% to 3% of the sales price. Property inspections. Appraisal fee.

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HomeLight

NOVEMBER 29, 2021

You’ve found the house of your dreams, your offer has been accepted, and you’re ready and eager to reach the closing table. But first, you have to sell your old home, potentially secure financing, and secure a home appraisal (and likely an inspection) on your new house. Do contingencies benefit homebuyers?

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HomeLight

JANUARY 3, 2024

Sometimes you come across a home for sale that checks off every box on your list, but the listing status says that it’s “under contract” or “sale pending.” In most cases, there are contingencies in the buyer’s offer that need to be cleared before the transaction is moved to the more solid “sale pending” status.

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Point2Homes

DECEMBER 8, 2020

When searching for the ideal home, expect to encounter a few issues along the way, such as homes listed as contingent. But, what does contingent mean and how does it affect your purchase? A home listed as contingent means the seller has accepted an offer. Contingent Statuses. No Kick-Out Clause. No Showings.

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HomeLight

OCTOBER 1, 2020

But for some buyers, that excitement can quickly turn to anxiety when it comes time to sign the purchase contract. Once you and the seller sign the purchase agreement, things start to get real. Which contingencies you included in your contract with the seller. What are contract contingencies? Appraisal contingency.

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HomeLight

DECEMBER 30, 2023

You may be building an online watchlist of homes you’re interested in seeing, but then you notice a label tagging your favorite property listing as “under contract” or “sale pending.” What buyer contingencies might put a listing back on the market? What buyer contingencies might put a listing back on the market?

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Home sale contingency Purchase and sale agreement Inspection contingency Inspection 119

HomeLight

JULY 29, 2022

Closing on a house is a thrilling time for buyers : Once you’ve found the one and have an accepted offer, you’re ready to grab the keys and make it your own. But closing time can also be plenty to rack your nerves. What can go wrong on the buyer’s side at closing. Problem: There’s an issue with the Closing Disclosure.

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Realty Biz

APRIL 20, 2022

What to Know About Terms and Conditions Found in an Offer to Purchase. It will state your offer price and many other clauses that could be crucial to the success of the purchase. Let’s look at the most common contingencies in an offer and what they mean to buyers and sellers. Home Inspection Contingency.

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HomeLight

MARCH 31, 2022

Cash offers or flexibility in choosing a closing date can also be attractive enticements to a seller. But one of the most influential bargaining tools is eliminating contingency clauses, especially the seller contingency clause, also known as the home sale contingency. What is a contingency clause?

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Redfin

MARCH 7, 2025

Since the home inspection is primarily for the buyer’s benefit, ensuring the property is in good condition before finalizing the sale, the buyer usually covers the cost. While it’s not the norm, there are situations where the seller pays for the home inspection. Is a home inspection required when buying a home?

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Realty Biz

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Listed homes for sale are classified in different ways to help you understand how far along in the sales process they are. If you see a home listed as “active,” this means it is for sale with the sellers considering bids from potential buyers. Can I Still Buy a Contingent Property? Will the Contingent Home Sale Fail?

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HomeLight

JULY 31, 2020

Real estate purchases made entirely with cash are rumored to create big benefits for homebuyers. With the help of Brad Graves , a top real estate agent in San Antonio, Texas , and some recent national home purchase data, we’ll examine the pros and cons of all-cash offers. Image Source: (Shutterstock.com/Andy Dean Photography).

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RIS Media

MAY 19, 2021

However, this is just the start with many things to do before the status changes to “Closed.” ” There are other statuses in the MLS listings like “Pending,” “Contingent,” “Coming Soon” and “Expired.” ” What do they mean and how will they affect your home sale?

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HomeLight

JANUARY 13, 2022

These conditions are known as contingencies, which is where the term “active contingent” comes from. Many offers contain contingencies. In May 2020, 76% of closed sales contained purchase contingencies, a survey from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) found.

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HomeLight

MARCH 28, 2025

And then, unexpectedly, the home sale falls through. of homes under contract failed to close. Thats one in seven pending home sales and one in seven life chapters placed on hold. Historically, a more typical average of canceled pending sales is 5%6%. Make a strong offer with no home sale contingency.

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HomeLight

JANUARY 5, 2022

Unlike taking your house off the market , withdrawing from a purchase contract can cost you big time. In this blog, we explain under what circumstances a seller may cancel a home purchase agreement. Why might a seller want to back out of a home sale? We’ll look at buyer contingencies later in this post.

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HomeLight

JULY 6, 2023

When your home first hits the market, your listing agent will note that it’s “Active,” as in ready and available for showings — but there’s a lot of ground to cover before your agent lists the status as “Closed,” when you have a done deal and you’re ready to hand over the keys.

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Realty Biz

DECEMBER 5, 2022

Let's look at what you need to know about home inspection negotiations. How to Negotiate Problems Found at a House Inspection. What Will Happen After a Home Inspection? The home inspection contingency in a real estate contract allows the buyer to back out of the sale when there are issues.

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Redfin

AUGUST 26, 2020

In case you’re thinking of waiving the home inspection contingency, you should also be aware that some lenders require a home inspection as a necessary step before they finalize your home loan. Home inspectors generally use a home inspection checklist to look for damage or other causes of concern. Local laws.

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HomeLight

JANUARY 3, 2023

Year-over-year, monthly sales in the Phoenix metro area were down nearly 25%. Often, the decision to go for sale by owner (or, “FSBO”) is motivated by a desire to save on agent commissions. Once you’ve seen what’s required, you can roll up your sleeves and get started with your FSBO sale in Colorado.

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The Close

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

These negotiation strategies are vital elements of real estate transactions and often determine the success or failure of a property sale. By mastering these techniques and learning from real estate counteroffer examples, agents can ensure that buyers and sellers achieve mutually beneficial agreements.

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HomeLight

JULY 31, 2022

Even before you decided to put your home up for sale, you probably knew making minor repairs and sprucing up your home would increase the chances of attracting the right buyers and getting a great offer. It’s important to distinguish that appraisals are not intended to be a home inspection.

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Windemere Selling

JANUARY 19, 2022

The closing process in a real estate transaction finalizes the terms of an agreement between the buyer and seller, leading to the transfer of the property’s title. Before a buyer can hold the keys to their new home, and before a seller can celebrate the sale of their property, closing costs must be paid.

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HomeLight

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Even if you’re listing your home without a Realtor’s® help, you’ll still need to gather the necessary paperwork for the sale and fill it out correctly. We hope it helps illuminate this tricky part of the sale, while giving you an honest idea of just how complex real estate transactions can be! Original sale contract.

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HomeLight

MARCH 31, 2022

Early 2022 data from Florida Realtors® indicates a 23% increase in median sales price and a 33.3% With such impressive sales figures, some Florida sellers may be curious about how to sell a house by owner in Florida — a decision that could help them save on agent commissions. Average home sale price in Florida: $530,419 (Jan 2022).

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HomeLight

MARCH 2, 2022

Much of the information that can be found about home inspections is focused on the buyers since they are the ones who order the inspection and use the information to ultimately decide whether or not to purchase a property. What is a home inspection? When does a home inspection happen during a home sale?

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HomeLight

MARCH 31, 2022

price increase , pushing median sale prices to upward of $350,000. With such impressive sales figures, some sellers may be curious about how to sell a house by owner in Arizona — a decision that could help them save on agent commissions. Median sales price: $449,900 (Feb. 2022 , a 28.5% increase from the year. Request Estimate.

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HomeLight

JULY 26, 2022

Is it a yard sale? No…it’s a for sale sign!!! A “for sale by owner,” or FSBO (pronounced “fizz-bo”) home, is a home that is being sold by its owner who hasn’t hired a listing agent. A “for sale by owner,” or FSBO (pronounced “fizz-bo”) home, is a home that is being sold by its owner who hasn’t hired a listing agent.

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