Contingent

A listing that's under contract but with active contingencies that could still fall through, like inspection, financing, or the sale of the buyer's current home.

Listing & marketing · Updated September 2026

Under contract right now?

Your Room opens on this part of the sale, with the offer and everything before it already ticked.

Organize my sale

Free to set up. Pay once when you list: $89 or $189. 7-day refund.

See how it works

Where this comes up: under contract

This word belongs to the under contract part of a sale. Here is what that part holds, in order.

Go under contractSign the purchase agreement · Confirm earnest money is deposited
Buyer's inspectionCoordinate access for the inspector · Give the inspector clear access
Title workOpen title with your closing team · Review the title commitment
Settle repairsDecide what you'll fix and what you'll credit · Collect contractor quotes

Your Room keeps this list for your own sale, with your dates on it.

Organize my sale

Free to set up. Pay once when you list: $89 or $189. 7-day refund.

Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

Contingent tells other buyers your home is under contract but the deal could still fall apart. In some MLSs showings continue, and back-up offers are the reason.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

Your listing shows contingent while the buyer's inspection and financing run. A second buyer asks to see it anyway and writes a back-up offer.

Contingent: a simple example
The status	What it says to the market
Contingent	Under contract with doors still open; back-ups welcome
Pending	Under contract with the doors mostly shut
Active	No contract yet

Contingent is the honest middle: sold if everything holds, available if it does not.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That contingent means the home is off the market. It is under contract; whether it is still shown depends on the listing.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What happens after you accept an offerUnder contract · the stretch of the sale this word belongs to

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

Was this clear?

In your Room, this word explains itself where it appears.

Your Room defines contingent in the step you meet it in, beside the document or the date it belongs to. Free to set up, with an agent or on your own.

Organize my sale

Free to set up. Pay once when you list: $89 or $189. 7-day refund.

Next, tell us your name, address, and where you are in the sale. It takes about two minutes and does not list your home or contact anyone.

Every word, defined