You’ve found a home in Sunbury that feels right—but you need to sell your current home first. This is a common and manageable scenario for many Central Ohio buyers. Many Central Ohio buyers use a home sale contingency to bridge the gap between selling and buying, allowing them to move forward without carrying two homes at once. Understanding how a home sale contingency works—and how it’s viewed by sellers—can help you move forward with clarity and confidence in Sunbury’s market.
Home sale contingency: what it means
A home sale contingency makes your purchase conditional on the successful sale of your current home. If your home does not sell within the agreed window, the contract typically allows you to cancel without penalty. This protects you from owning two homes at once or closing without the proceeds from your sale.
In Sunbury and across the Columbus metro, sellers evaluate contingencies through the lens of certainty and timing. In Sunbury, sellers don’t reject contingencies outright—they reject uncertainty. When inventory is tight and multiple offers are common, sellers prefer fewer or shorter contingencies. In more balanced conditions, a well-structured contingency—paired with clear timelines—can still succeed.
Typical Sunbury timelines and terms
Local contracts often use Ohio REALTORS forms with addenda tailored to Central Ohio. While every transaction is negotiated, it’s common to see the following terms in Central Ohio contracts:
- Buyer sale window: Often 30 to 60 days to secure a contract on the buyer’s current home, with closing aligned to the purchase closing date.
- Kick-out clause: If the seller receives another acceptable offer, they can give you a set time to remove your contingency, often 48 to 72 hours.
- Proof of progress: Sellers may ask for evidence that your home is actively marketed or already under contract.
Shorter timelines, stronger deposits, or alternate financing can help your contingent offer stand out in competitive moments.
Offer strength and risk: the Sunbury perspective
Seller view: certainty and speed
Sellers prioritize certainty and the likelihood of a timely closing. Home sale contingencies introduce additional variables that can affect timing. To manage risk, Sunbury sellers often keep marketing the home, require kick-out language, and favor buyers who show strong financials and short deadlines.
Buyer view: protection with tradeoffs
A home sale contingency protects buyers from double moves and overlapping payments. The tradeoff is competitiveness and timing. Shortening or waiving parts of a contingency can help you win, but it raises the risk of losing earnest money or being forced to proceed without full information. The right approach balances competitiveness with your financial capacity and comfort level.
Ways to strengthen a contingent offer
- Tighten timelines, such as a shorter sale window or quick response to a kick-out.
- Increase earnest money to signal commitment.
- Provide a detailed pre-approval and proof of funds for reserves.
- Offer flexibility on possession, such as a short rent-back if needed by the seller.
- In some cases, bridge financing or limited appraisal gap coverage can add strength—when aligned with your broader financial plan.
Related contingencies you should know
A home sale contingency rarely stands alone, and its impact is shaped by the other protections in your contract.
Inspection contingency
Buyers typically inspect the home and may request repairs or credits within a set period, often 7 to 10 days after acceptance. If you cannot agree with the seller on repairs within that window, you may have the right to cancel under the contract terms. Shortening the inspection period can strengthen your offer, but it also increases buyer risk.
Financing and appraisal contingencies
Most financed buyers keep a financing contingency for 21 to 30 days to secure final loan approval. Appraisals usually occur within that window. If the appraisal comes in low and you do not have an appraisal gap clause, you may renegotiate, bring additional funds, or cancel per the contract.
Title and HOA review
You will typically have 7 to 10 days after receiving the title commitment to object to defects. For homes with an HOA, you often have 7 to 10 days to review rules, fees, and covenants after receiving documents.
Additional tests
Depending on the property and utilities, you may see radon, well, septic, sewer scope, or water-quality contingencies with their own timelines. These are common in Central Ohio properties outside municipal systems.
Real-world timeline examples
Example timeline: home sale contingency with kick-out clause
- Day 0: Your offer is accepted with a 60-day sale window and a kick-out clause. The seller continues marketing the home.
- Day 0 to Day 45: You list, market, and accept an offer on your current home.
- Kick-out event: If the seller gets another offer during this time, they notify you. You have 48 to 72 hours to remove your contingency.
- Outcome: If the contingency is removed with a clear path to closing, the purchase proceeds. If not, the seller may move forward with the alternate offer.
Example: Standard financing with inspections
- Days 1 to 7: You complete inspections and submit repair requests.
- Days 8 to 14: You negotiate repairs or credits. If unresolved, you may cancel within the inspection period.
- Days 1 to 21 or 30: Your lender processes underwriting and appraisal. You work toward final loan approval.
Buyer checklist: preparing for a home sale contingency
- Get a strong pre-approval and discuss bridge or backup financing.
- Prepare your current home for market before you write. Aim to list quickly.
- Set realistic dates: sale window, inspection period, and financing deadline.
- Be ready for a kick-out notice and decide in advance how you would respond.
- Decide how much earnest money and flexibility on possession you can offer.
- Align with your agent on pricing, staging, and marketing for your sale.
Seller checklist: evaluating a home sale contingency
- Require a kick-out clause with a clear response period.
- Ask for buyer pre-approval and proof of funds for reserves or gap coverage.
- Confirm the buyer’s current home status and marketing plan.
- Set tight but fair windows for inspections, financing, and sale milestones.
- Consider higher earnest money to offset risk.
- Keep marketing the property and allow backup offers where appropriate.
Track deadlines and notices
Contingency dates are contractual and time sensitive. Missing a contractual deadline can materially change your rights or expose you to breach. Use the notice methods specified in the contract, track all dates carefully, and deliver requests or responses on time. If a contract states that time is of the essence, treat each deadline as critical.
Local resources and next steps
In Sunbury and Delaware County, it helps to work with lenders and inspectors who know Central Ohio timelines. Standard Ohio REALTORS forms keep terms clear, while county records support title and survey reviews. Decisions around shortening or waiving contingencies should be made with a clear understanding of current market conditions and your financial position.
The strongest contingent offers don’t feel like exceptions—they feel like well-prepared plans. Connect with Kelly Ludwig for a personalized market consultation.
FAQs
What is a home sale contingency in Sunbury and how does it work?
- It makes your purchase conditional on selling your current home within an agreed window, often with a kick-out clause that lets the seller accept another offer if you cannot remove the contingency quickly.
How long do sellers usually give buyers to sell their home?
- In Central Ohio, 30 to 60 days is common for securing a buyer on your home, with closing coordinated to your purchase timeline.
What is a kick-out clause and what happens after notice?
- A kick-out clause lets the seller keep marketing the home and, if they receive another offer, gives you 48 to 72 hours to remove your contingency or step aside.
How can I make a contingent offer more competitive in Sunbury?
- Shorten timelines, increase earnest money, provide strong pre-approval and proof of funds, offer flexible possession, and consider limited appraisal gap coverage if appropriate.
Do I need to sell my current home before buying in Sunbury?
- Not always; you can use a home sale contingency or explore bridge financing, but fewer contingencies often make offers stronger in competitive moments.
What if the appraisal comes in low while I have a contingency?
- You may renegotiate price, bring extra funds, use an appraisal gap clause if you offered one, or cancel depending on the contract’s appraisal terms.
