Why Sellers Should Add a Kick-Out Clause to Avoid a Contingency Nightmare
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Alexandra Lee Junior Associate EditorClose
Alexandra Lee Junior Associate EditorAlexandra is a junior associate editor of HomeLight.com. Previously, she served as a writer and social media manager at Santa Barbara Life & Style Magazine, in addition to interning at the nonprofit honors society Phi Beta Kappa. Alexandra holds a bachelor's degree in communication and global studies from UC Santa Barbara, and she has three years of experience reporting on topics including international travel, luxury properties, celebrity interviews, fine dining, and more.
As any seller would be, you’re thrilled when an offer comes in for your property — but that excitement fades when you find out it’s contingent on the sale of the buyer’s home. What if their house takes weeks or months to sell, and you’re left waiting indefinitely?
You’re hesitant to put all of your proverbial eggs in one buyer’s basket when the sale might never actually happen. Then again, their house could sell quickly, and you don’t want to run the risk of missing out on a successful deal.
That’s where the “kick-out clause” comes in.
Generally speaking, real estate contracts tend to be crafted in a buyer-friendly manner. But there are some elements — like the kick-out clause — that give sellers a little more control over the contingency period in particular.
Considering Accepting an Offer With a Home Sale Contingency?
A great seller’s agent can help protect your home sale timeline by adding a kick-out clause to the sales contract, ensuring your selling plans aren’t stalled if the contingency can’t be removed in a specified amount of time.
A closer look at contingencies
Before diving into the ins and outs of the kick-out clause, let’s talk a little bit about contract contingencies. In real estate, a “contingent” offer means that one or both parties have requested certain provisions before the deal closes.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Realtors Confidence Index, 20% of buyers waived the inspection contingency, while 24% waived the appraisal contingency in June 2024. It’s standard for homebuyers to pencil in these escape hatches in the event that the home fails to appraise, an issue crops up with the title, or if they’re unhappy with the results of the inspection.
In addition, some buyers will add a contingency to accommodate the fact that they need to sell their current home before purchasing yours. This is called the “home sale” contingency.
With this type of contingency, the sales contract will state something like “the buyer will officially purchase the home on or before mm/dd/yyyy if they’ve sold their home.” If their home hasn’t sold when that date rolls around, the sales contract is canceled.
One of the biggest risks associated with this type of offer is when there are two or three home purchases that are all contingent on the sale of another property. For example, if the sale of your buyer’s home is also contingent on the sale of their buyer’s home, and then their buyer’s mortgage falls through — the domino effect can send you back to square one.
An ideal situation would be to receive an offer without a home sale contingency. Those typically come from a buyer who has already sold their home, who doesn’t have an existing home to sell, or who doesn’t need the cash from their existing home to qualify for their next purchase. You’ll also deal with far fewer of these contingencies if you were to request a cash offer on your home from a direct real estate buyer.
Protecting yourself with a kick-out clause
If you choose to accept a contingent offer, your agent can add a kick-out clause to the sales contract that gives you the right to continue marketing and showing the house during the contingency period. That way, if you receive another offer, the original buyer will have a certain period of time to remove the contingency. If they can’t or don’t remove it before the deadline, you can “kick out” the first buyer and accept the new one.
If the first buyer sells their current home within the contingency timeframe, the kick-out clause is extinguished and you can no longer market the house to other buyers.
Tami Pardee, a top agent in Los Angeles, California, is a big advocate of the kick-out clause. She adds one to every contract she writes, even if it’s not contingent on the sale of the buyer’s home.
“I’ve seen situations where the seller didn’t have a kick-out clause, and then the buyer sat in escrow for six months,” she says. “Without the clause, the seller has no power — and there’s no way to get that buyer out.”
Typically, Pardee’s clauses give the first buyer 24, 48, or 72 hours to drop the contingency and proceed with the sale; if they can’t perform within that time, the seller can kick them out of escrow.
What happens if another offer comes in?
If you’ve accepted an offer that is contingent on a home sale and you have added a kick-out clause, your home should be listed with a status such as “Contingent With Kickout. This tells other buyers that the home is still available for showings and backup offers. (Note that MLS listing statuses vary across the country, and your agent will know which one to use for your home and update it for you in a timely manner).
If you receive a second offer, you have an obligation to notify the first buyer and to show proof of the offer with the names obscured. This correspondence usually goes through agents or attorneys, and it must be in writing — an email will suffice.
The notification will give the first buyer “the right of first refusal,” in which they have a certain timeframe to decide how they want to proceed. Rather than allowing a general 24, 48, or 72 hours, you might choose to state a more specific timeframe, such as “5:00 p.m. on the third business day after notification.” That can help to prevent any confusion if the second offer comes in on a weekend or holiday.
Once you have given proper notice of the second offer, the buyer has two main options:
- Cancel the contract and get back the earnest money deposit, at which point you are free to accept the other offer.
- Remove the contingency from their offer and proceed with the purchase of your home, providing proof that they have obtained financing.
Pardee points out that if subsequent offers come in, the seller can use those as leverage to put some heat on the buyer who is already in escrow.
“A non-contingent backup offer gives the seller a bit of power and control, particularly in scenarios where the first buyer is requesting a lot of expensive repairs,” she notes. If someone else is waiting in the wings with a non-contingent offer, you might have more leeway to push back on those requests.
And, on the flip side, the first (contingent) contract can give you some leverage with the backup buyers, perhaps coaxing them to offer a higher price than they normally would.
Pros of a kick-out clause
Benefits for the buyer
As a buyer with a home to sell, you can make your offer more attractive and likely to get accepted with a kick-out clause.
It also provides you with time to sell your current property while under contract for another home. Perhaps even more significant, it keeps you from having to assume and pay two mortgages if it’s taking longer than anticipated to sell your existing home.
Benefits for the seller
As a seller, you’ll have the peace of mind of having your home under contract with the ability to continue showing it to prospective buyers. The kick-out clause provides a way out of the contract in the event that the buyer is unable to sell their home in a reasonable amount of time.
It also provides a way to void the contract if a better offer comes around. For example, if a second buyer offers more for the home or is paying with cash, a kick-out clause may come in handy. You would notify the first buyer of the second offer, at which point they would have 72 hours (or whatever time frame specified in the contract) to remove the contingency or cancel the contract.
Kick-out clause drawbacks
Disadvantages for the buyer
A home sale contingency could weaken your position if you’re a buyer, especially in a hot real estate market where homes are receiving multiple offers. Simply put, it’s tough to compete in a seller’s market with contingencies.
A kick-out clause is a compromise that could benefit buyer and seller, but a seller is less likely to accept one if they’ve received competing contingent-free offers.
Unfortunately, the risk doesn’t end there. Because the seller may continue marketing their property while it’s under contract, there’s a possibility you may get kicked out of the deal if they receive a better offer or if you’re unable to sell your current home in the time specified. You’ll have the option to remove the contingency and proceed with the purchase, but you may be responsible for two mortgages until your home sells.
Disadvantages for the seller
Accepting a contingent offer with a kick-out clause comes with some financial risk if you’re a seller. For one, other buyers who are interested in your home may hesitate to submit an offer if it’s already under contract with a kick-out clause. They could potentially be put off knowing that their offer could be matched or even beat by the first buyer.
Another possible pitfall is if the first buyer can’t sell their home and they back out of the deal, you may be left with an unpredictable back-up offer. For whatever reason, if the second buyer is unable to proceed with the purchase, you’re essentially starting from square one.
Cement and execute your kick-out clause with these 4 tips
- Paperwork is paramount. Always put the agreement in writing and make sure the contract is signed by both parties. Otherwise, the kick-out clause won’t be in effect, and you won’t be able to enforce it.
- Timing is everything. Include specific timeframes to prevent any confusion or misunderstandings. For example, the clause might state that if another offer comes in, the first buyer would have three business days to complete the purchase of the property, regardless of whether their house had sold.
- It’s not instant. While a kick-out clause offers you some protection and power, it does carry some element of risk. If you choose to accept a back-up offer and exercise the kick-out clause, it can take several days before the contract with the first buyer is canceled. In that case, the new buyer may not want to wait around, and could choose to find a different home that’s not under contract.
- Partner with an agent who has experience with kick-out clauses. An experienced agent will know when to recommend adding the clause in the first place, and can then help with crafting the terms and enforcing the actual “kick-out” if necessary.
The kick-out clause can be useful in a situation where you don’t want to pass up a contingent offer, but you also can’t afford to wait weeks or months for the buyer’s sale to go through. Just be sure to seek guidance from an experienced agent to ensure that your clause is clear, specific, and airtight.
How can I avoid making a contingent offer?
One of the best ways to remove a home sale contingency from your offer is to take advantage of modern “Buy Before You Sell” programs. Innovative real estate companies like HomeLight are making it easy to use the equity from your existing home to make your homebuying offer more appealing. Such programs also streamline and simplify the entire buying and selling experience.
Here’s how HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell works:
- Apply in minutes with no commitment: Find out if your home is a good fit for the program and get your equity unlock amount approved in 24 hours or less. No cost or commitment is required.
- Buy your dream home with confidence: Once you’re approved, you’ll have access to a portion of your equity in your current property. You’ll be able to submit a competitive offer with no home sale contingency at any time — regardless of how long it takes to find your new home. HomeLight’s near-instant Equity Unlock Calculator lets you estimate how much equity we can unlock from your current house.
- Sell your current home with peace of mind: After you move into your new home, we will list your unoccupied house on the market to attract the strongest offer possible. You’ll receive the remainder of your equity after the home sells.
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With the right home and the right expert by your side, you can be more certain that the buyer who has your dream home “under contract” is you!
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