{"id":61385,"date":"2025-08-14T09:13:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T16:13:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=61385"},"modified":"2025-08-14T09:19:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T16:19:23","slug":"why-do-pending-home-sales-fall-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/why-do-pending-home-sales-fall-through\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Pending Home Sales Fall Through?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When your home goes under contract, it can feel like the hard part is over. But \u201cpending<\/a>\u201d doesn\u2019t mean guaranteed. Nationally, 6% of deals<\/a> unravel before closing day. Sellers looking to avoid potential pitfalls often ask, \u201cWhy do pending home sales fall through?\u201d<\/p>\n

We spoke with Jamie McMartin<\/a>, a top-rated HomeLight Elite real estate agent in Texas with more than 18 years of experience. She shares the top reasons a home sale may come to a halt, and how you can take proactive steps to cross the closing-day finish line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Did a Canceled Deal Spoil Your Own Selling Plans?<\/h3>\n

Start making offers again without waiting to sell your home. HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program can unlock a portion of your equity upfront to put toward your next home. Make a strong offer with no home sale contingency.<\/p>\n \n

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1. Financing falls through<\/h2>\n

Even if a buyer is pre-approved<\/a>, their loan can still be denied before closing. Lenders often re-check employment, income, and credit right up to the end. A job change, new debt, or unexpected financial setback can derail approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Houston area, about 15% of pending home sales have fallen through in the last month, which is a record since 2017,\u201d McMartin says. \u201cOne reason we\u2019re seeing is finance \u2014 buyers can lose their approval after the fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sellers should look for buyers with strong pre-approval letters from reputable lenders \u2014 not just pre-qualification. Asking your agent to vet the buyer\u2019s financing early can save you stress later.<\/p>\n

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2. Home inspection reveals major issues<\/h2>\n

Once the inspection report<\/a> comes in, buyers may request repairs, a price reduction, or credits \u2014 or they might walk away entirely if the problems are significant.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the high inventory that we\u2019re seeing, buyers are very easily turned away when they see things like foundation issues, mold, roof damage, or other expensive repairs pop up,\u201d McMartin says. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to be in a money pit. So with all the inventory on the market right now, we\u2019re seeing buyers be less tolerant of those kinds of issues with the property.\u201d<\/p>\n

Top agents like McMartin recommend considering a pre-listing inspection<\/a> to uncover big-ticket issues in advance. This approach can prevent tense negotiations mid-transaction.<\/p>\n

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3. Appraisal comes in low<\/h2>\n

If the appraisal is lower<\/a> than the agreed-upon price, the buyer\u2019s lender will typically only approve a loan based on that lower value. Unless the buyer can make up the difference in cash or you\u2019re willing to reduce the price, the deal may collapse.<\/p>\n

McMartin, who works with 82% more single-family homes than the average Houston agent, says sellers who insist on pricing high in the current market will see their home sit unsold, or face delays or a canceled deal after a low appraisal. \u201cSellers need to be realistic and listen to their agents, whether it be on pricing or what to repair.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), it’s estimated that 6% of contracts are delayed<\/a> due to appraisal issues.<\/p>\n

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4. Buyer\u2019s home sale falls through<\/h2>\n

When a buyer\u2019s offer is contingent on selling their own home<\/a>, your deal can be at the mercy of another transaction. If their home sale collapses, they may no longer have the funds or lender approval to buy yours.<\/p>\n

To avoid this potential pitfall, sellers should work closely with their agent to vet each offer and weigh the pros and cons. In some cases, sellers might prefer offers without home sale contingencies<\/a> \u2014 even if they\u2019re slightly lower \u2014 to reduce risk.<\/p>\n

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5. Problems caused by an inexperienced agent<\/h2>\n

An agent\u2019s role is to manage deadlines, documents, and communication between all parties. If the buyer\u2019s or seller\u2019s agent is inexperienced or disorganized<\/a>, critical steps can be missed, like scheduling inspections, sending disclosures<\/a>, or meeting contract timelines, which can put the deal at risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn experienced agent who is savvy and knows how to operate their business like a business can definitely have an influence in keeping deals together,\u201d McMartin says. \u201cBut if you have an inexperienced agent or somebody who is part-time \u2014 not in it for the long haul \u2014 they won\u2019t know how to operate in a market like this. That\u2019s when things can fall through.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why do pending home sales fall through? Learn expert tips to prevent your deal from unraveling before closing day. See what frightens buyers away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":61390,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[322,342],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-logistics","category-negotiations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Do Pending Home Sales Fall Through?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why do pending home sales fall through? Learn expert tips to prevent your deal from unraveling before closing day. 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