Home Seller Question: What’s the difference between contingent and pending?

A contingent status is a result of having accepted an offer with subjective contingencies.

A home marked as contingent means the seller has accepted an offer, but they’ve chosen to keep the listing active in case the buyer backs out due to subjective contingencies (eg. inspection contingency). Subjective contingencies allow the buyer to back out without any explanation or actions. In our market it is more common to see a status “pending inspection,” which means that the seller has accepted an offer that has an inspection contingency- if the buyer proceeds with the purchase, and waives the inspection (or the buyer and seller come to an agreement after renegotiating), the status will become “pending” and the transaction will proceed towards closing.

A home marked “pending” online may also have contingencies, however they would be objective contingencies (eg. financing contingency).  Our goal when we prepare your home for the market is not only to get you a great sale price, but also to get the safest offer possible. We want your to go from new and active on the market to a pending status swiftly and as stress-free as possible.

For more information on contingencies and other items we will consider when reviewing offers click here!”