You may have seen headlines on social saying the number of buyers backing out of their contracts is on the rise – and has recently reached a high not seen since 2017. That can sound intimidating. But it varies a lot by market.
And here’s the key thing to understand if you want to sell. A lot of the time, there’s one common cause. And it’s something you can actually control.
Here’s what you can do to get ahead of the biggest dealbreaker before it ever becomes a problem.
The Top Dealbreaker: Issues That Pop Up During the Inspection
A Redfin survey shows over 70% of recently cancelled contracts happened because of issues during the home inspection (see graph below):
And that makes sense. Because today’s buyers have something they didn’t have a couple of years ago: options.
Why Fixing Things Before You List Matters More Today
A few years back, when buyers felt rushed or boxed in due to the limited number of homes for sale, they were more willing to overlook issues.
But in today’s market, skipping essential repairs is one of the fastest ways to lose a deal.
Now that there are more homes to choose from, buyers can be more selective. If a house feels risky, outdated, or like it’s hiding expensive surprises, they’re a lot more likely to walk away. So, what do you have to fix? Just ask an agent.
How Your Agent Can Help Give You the Edge
A local agent will be able to walk through your house and offer advice on what to tackle (click "Learn More" to finish the article)...
