Why Contingent Offers Fail in Washington (What Buyers & Sellers Need to Know – 2025 Guide)
Contingent offers — where you need to sell your current home before buying the next one — can work in Washington. I help families do this successfully every single month.
But here’s the truth most buyers aren’t told:
Contingent offers fail more often than they succeed — not because they’re bad, but because the strategy behind them isn’t strong enough.
If you’re planning to buy and sell at the same time, here are the real reasons contingent offers fall apart in our Washington market… and how to avoid every single one.
1. The Buyer’s Home Isn’t Priced Correctly
This is the #1 reason contingent offers get rejected or collapse later.
If your current home is:
Overpriced
Stale on the market
Out of alignment with current comps
Sitting longer than competing properties
Sellers lose confidence in your ability to close.
For deeper insight:
How to Price Your Home Right in Today’s Market
2. The Buyer’s Home Isn’t Market-Ready
Sellers will reject contingent offers if the buyer’s home isn’t:
Decluttered
Cleaned
Staged
Repaired
Photographed professionally
Listed with strong marketing
When prep work is missing, sellers assume delays.
For help preparing your home:
Preparing a Long-Time Washington Home for Sale
3. No Active Listing Yet (Soft Contingencies)
Many buyers say:
“We’re planning to list our home soon.”
But in this market, planning isn’t enough.
Sellers want:
A live listing
A showing schedule
MLS photos
Real traffic
A contingent offer without a live listing is rarely accepted.
4. The Buyer’s Home Has Inspection Risks
If your home has known problems like:
Roof age
Crawlspace moisture
Old electrical panel
Attic mold
Sewer issues
Sellers worry the deal will collapse.
Learn the biggest inspection red flags:
Common Inspection Problems in Pierce County
5. Weak Timeline or Extended Contingency Window
Sellers want:
Short timelines
Clear deadlines
Predictable closing
Contingent offers fail when buyers ask for:
45+ days to list
30+ days to secure a buyer
Extra-long closing periods
Speed builds confidence. Hesitation kills the deal.
6. The Buyer’s Financing Is Tight
Sellers get nervous when buyers have:
High DTI
Little cash reserves
Down payment limitations
Strict loan requirements
Slow lender communication
Financing issues are one of the top reasons contingent offers collapse at the finish line.
7. Appraisal Risk on the Buyer’s Home
If the buyer’s home:
Is in a shifting market
Has unique features
Lacks strong comps
Is aggressively priced
An appraisal shortfall could stop the entire chain.
To understand market timing better:
Timing the Washington Market
8. The Seller Receives a Stronger Offer
Even if a seller likes your contingent offer, it often loses when another offer comes in that is:
Non-contingent
Cash
Faster
More certain
Higher price
Washington’s competitive market means contingencies are at a disadvantage.
9. The Buyer’s Home Doesn’t Attract Enough Traffic
Low showings = low confidence.
When your home:
Isn’t marketed well
Isn’t optimized online
Has poor photography
Isn’t priced for demand
Your contingent offer becomes risky.
For more insight into slow traffic and stale listings:
Why Homes Sit on the Market in Washington
10. The Buyer Doesn’t Have a Backup Plan
Sellers want to know:
“What happens if your home doesn’t sell?”
Contingent offers fail when buyers don’t have:
Temporary housing options
Bridge-loan alternatives
Rent-back strategies
Clear Plan B
If a buyer has no safety net, sellers walk.
Learn more about alternatives:
Bridge Loan Alternatives in Washington
How to Make a Contingent Offer WORK in Washington
✔ Get your home fully prepped before writing
✔ Price it competitively
✔ Have professional photography ready
✔ Keep timelines tight and clean
✔ Show sellers you’re serious
✔ Work with an agent who handles simultaneous moves weekly
✔ Create a backup plan before writing the offer
Contingent offers don’t fail because they’re impossible.
They fail because they’re not structured strategically.
With the right plan, they can work beautifully — and I help families pull them off every single month.
Written by: Lani Fisher — Washington Realtor Specializing in Simultaneous Buy/Sell Moves