A contingency is a condition in a real estate offer that must be met for the transaction to move forward.
It gives the buyer or seller a clear way to move forward, renegotiate, or step away from the deal depending on what happens during the process.
What Does a Contingency Actually Do?
A contingency lays out what needs to happen next and what the options are if something doesn’t go as planned.
In most cases, it gives a buyer the ability to:
- Move forward with the purchase
- Ask for changes based on what they find
- Or walk away under specific conditions
Each contingency has its own timeline, and those timelines matter. If they’re missed, the options tied to that contingency can go away.
Common Contingencies in Washington
Most offers in Washington include one or more of the following:
Inspection Contingency (Form 35)
Allows the buyer to have the home inspected and decide how to proceed based on the results.
Title Contingency (Form 22T)
Gives the buyer time to review the title report and address anything unexpected tied to the property.
Homeowner’s Insurance Contingency (Form 22VV)
Allows the buyer to confirm they can get acceptable insurance coverage before moving forward.
Home Sale Contingency (Form 22B)
Makes the purchase dependent on the buyer selling their current home.
Seller’s Closing Contingency (Form 22Q)
Allows the seller to complete their next purchase before finalizing the current sale.
Each one is solving a specific risk. The more that apply, the more moving parts there are in the deal.
Do All Offers Have Contingencies?
Most do, but not all.
In more competitive situations, buyers will sometimes shorten timelines or remove certain contingencies to make their offer more appealing.
That can help win a deal, but it also shifts more risk onto the buyer. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer; it depends on the property and how comfortable the buyer is with that risk.
How Contingencies Affect the Strength of an Offer
Contingencies are one of the main ways sellers size up an offer.
In general:
- Fewer contingencies = less uncertainty for the seller
- More contingencies = more protection for the buyer
Most of the time, it’s not about removing everything. It’s about deciding which ones matter for that specific situation.
What Happens When a Contingency Is Not Met?
Each contingency spells out what happens if the condition isn’t satisfied.
Depending on the situation, the buyer may:
- Move forward anyway
- Ask for changes to the terms
- Or terminate the agreement
The important part is timing. These options don’t last forever—they’re tied to specific deadlines in the agreement.
Why This Matters in Real Transactions
Contingencies are where a lot of real decisions happen during a transaction.
They’re not just boxes that get checked, they’re the points where buyers decide whether to move forward, renegotiate, or step back.
Understanding how they work helps buyers and sellers:
- Know what protections are in place
- Understand what decisions are coming next
- Avoid being surprised by deadlines or limitations
At the end of the day, contingencies are there to bring structure to the deal. They make it clear what needs to happen and what each side can do along the way.