How Often Do Home Sales Fall Through?

Count the Buyer's Exits Before You Accept

Read an offer for its exits before you read it for its price: the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract shows how two of them work.

Exit one: the inspection. The buyer gets an inspection period that runs the number of days written into the contract after its effective date, or 15 if that blank is left empty. The buyer decides, in the buyer's sole discretion, whether the property is acceptable. If the answer is no, the buyer can cancel with written notice before that period ends and get the deposit back.

Exit two: the loan. The same form gives the buyer a loan approval period, 30 days after the effective date if that blank is empty. A buyer who can't get loan approval in that window, after a good-faith and diligent effort, can cancel with written notice before it ends, and if that buyer isn't in default, the deposit is refunded.

Fewer days in those blanks give a buyer less time to walk away under them, so before you accept, you can counter with fewer days in either one. Other states use other forms. Find the matching deadlines in yours.

Some buyers give an exit up. In the National Association of Realtors' August 2026 survey, Realtors reported that 20% of buyers waived the inspection contingency and 22% waived the appraisal contingency.

Price the House the Buyer Will See in Person

Decide what you'll do about the house's condition before the buyer's inspector decides it for you.

In July 2026, there were 51% more sellers than buyers in the U.S. market, by Redfin's figures. With that many options, its report says, buyers are more likely to walk away when an inspection turns up problems or an appraisal comes in low. It names one more trigger: a seller who won't agree to concessions.

One option from Redfin's report: an inspection before listing. Then you can fix what it finds, or go into talks knowing a credit or a lower price may be part of the deal.

What you already know counts too. On the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract, you, the seller, state that you know of no facts materially affecting the home's value that aren't readily observable and haven't been disclosed to the buyer. If you're selling in another state, check your own form.

Our view: buyers walk when the price doesn't fit the condition they see in person. If a price has to move, we'd rather it move on as-is sold comps shown to you up front than on an inspection surprise.

Line Up Your Fallback Before the Buyer's Loan Is Tested

A lender you don't control decides the buyer's loan. Redfin's July 2026 report says a change in financing costs can be enough to derail a deal, especially when buyers feel sure another home will come along. So can second thoughts about a big monthly payment.

Pick your fallback before you sign. Cash Flow Deals makes two offers, and you choose:

1. Cash offer: our as-is number. Cash Flow Deals buys the house and closes. No listing. One walk-through by our team, and there's no listing commission to us.

2. Premium offer: a higher number, paid by a real FHA or conventional buyer through novation. You sign with us at a number you agree to and let us bring in a buyer in our place. During the 15 business days of inspection, your home may be listed. A licensed agent brings each buyer. Showings are scheduled ahead and take 10 to 15 minutes. When your buyer is ready, they sign a new contract directly with you. Their lender funds it, and title transfers once. We're paid as a separate line item on the closing statement. If that buyer's financing falls through, you can still take the Cash offer.

3. Inspection period: 15 business days on either offer.

4. Closing: 45 days or less, on a date you help pick.

In our view, putting your house in front of real FHA and conventional buyers is where the higher number comes from.