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A homebuyer’s personal story from the post-Sitzer, post-settlement world

Housing Wire

Mortgage butterflies As confident and comfortable as I was in the home search process and the paperwork involved in signing on with an agent, I was not feeling great about the mortgage preapproval and application process. But in another stroke of luck, I have a cousin who is a loan officer at Guild Mortgage.

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How much cash matters in a bidding war

Housing Wire

And waiving the financing contingency is the second-most effective bidding-war strategy, Redfin officials said – improving homebuyers’ odds of winning by 66%. This, in turn, significantly cut the number of new builds in the country – meaning, if someone was looking to buy a home, they most likely focused on existing lots.

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Key Terms for Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters

For example, when mortgage rates and home prices rise, it impacts how much home you can afford. Terms like appraisal (what lenders rely on to validate a home’s value) and the inspection contingency (which gives buyers essential information on a home’s condition) directly impact the transaction.

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Considering Waiving the Appraisal Contingency? Here’s What to Know

HomeLight

As of December 2024, 18% of buyers waived the appraisal contingency , with other buyers waiving, for example, inspection contingencies to likewise make their offers more enticing to sellers. The appraisal contingency is there to protect the buyer in case of any issues surrounding your appraisal.

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20% of Winning Home Offers Waived the Inspection Contingency in June, Up From 13% Last Year

Redfin

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% up from 17.4%

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What Does Contingent Mean in Real Estate?

HomeLight

A property listed as “contingent” in real estate means the seller has accepted an offer, but the deal isn’t fully closed yet. The final sale hangs in the balance, waiting for certain conditions or “contingencies” to be met. Until those contingencies are cleared, the house isn’t officially sold.

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Buyers are sweetening the deal by waiving contingencies

Realty Biz

markets waived the inspection contingency , compared to just 13.2% of successful offers also waived the appraisal contingency, up from 17.4% The inspection contingency allows the buyer to cancel a purchase or request repairs are made to the property following a home inspection. who did so in June 2019.