Inspection contingency
A contingency that lets the buyer inspect the home and either accept it, ask for repairs or credits, or walk away. The window is usually 7 to 14 days after ratification.
Your Room opens on this part of the sale, with the offer and everything before it already ticked.
Organize my saleFree to set up. Pay once when you list: $89 or $189. 7-day refund.
See how it worksWhere this comes up: under contract
Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
It is the window in which the buyer can look, ask, or leave, and it is where most negotiating after the signature happens. Knowing its length and end date is knowing when the deal gets firmer.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
Ten days after ratification the buyer's inspector finds a failing water heater and an older electrical panel. The buyer has three ways to use the contingency.
| What the buyer does | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Accepts the home as inspected | The contingency ends and the deal firms up |
| Asks for the water heater and a credit for the panel | A negotiation, and you can say yes, no or something between |
| Cancels inside the window | They usually leave with their deposit, whatever the reason |
The contingency is a window, and inside it the buyer holds most of the cards.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That the buyer can only cancel for something serious. Inside the window most contracts let them leave for any finding, or none.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
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
In your Room, this word explains itself where it appears.
Your Room defines inspection contingency 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 saleFree to set up. Pay once when you list: $89 or $189. 7-day refund.