Worried About a Buyer Backing Out? 3 Ways To Prepare Before Listing

When you’re planning a move, the thought of a buyer backing out can make it harder to commit to selling. You may be counting on the proceeds for your next home or trying to coordinate a closing date. Preparing for common problems before you list can give you a clearer plan for handling them and added peace of mind.

Start with your home’s condition, the buyer’s financing, and any other sale that needs to happen first. You can’t guarantee a closing, but you can ask useful questions before an offer becomes a contract.

What Cancellation Headlines Mean for Sellers

Redfin reported July 2026 cancellations equal to 14% of new pending contracts. Separately, Cotality’s September 2026 report found that nearly 12% of June contracts hadn’t closed within 60 days. Both reported increases in their cancellation measures.

That puts the cited measures roughly in the 10–15% range, while most of Cotality’s tracked contracts had closed by 60 days. The reports use different methods, so the figures aren’t a prediction for your individual sale. Still, the bottom line is that the majority of home sales go through.

Redfin’s August 2026 analysis linked buyer caution to high borrowing costs and more homes to choose from. As it explained:

“That gives house hunters more options and makes them more likely to walk away if an inspection uncovers problems, an appraisal comes in low or the seller doesn’t agree to concessions.”

Three Issues to Consider Before You Accept an Offer

In September 2025, Redfin surveyed 443 agents who had handled cancellations during the previous three months. Inspection concerns, financing problems, and a buyer’s inability to sell another home were the most frequently cited reasons. These percentages describe agents’ responses, not the share of all sales that failed.

Shares of 443 Redfin agents surveyed in September 2025 who had handled recent cancellations. Responses overlap; these are not percentages of all home sales. Source: Redfin.

1. Inspection and Repair Concerns

Inspection or repair issues were cited by 70.4% of the surveyed agents. A pre-listing inspection can help you identify problems while you still have time to get estimates and decide how to address them.

Talk with your agent about whether the inspection is worthwhile for your property. You might make repairs before listing, account for the condition in your price, or prepare to negotiate a credit. Ask your agent or a real estate attorney how local disclosure rules apply to repaired and unrepaired issues. Buyers may still order their own inspection.

2. Buyer Financing Falls Through

Financing problems were cited by 27.8% of agents. A preapproval letter is useful, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains that it isn’t a guaranteed loan offer. Changes in the buyer’s finances or borrowing costs can affect whether the purchase remains workable.

Before accepting, review the preapproval, financing contingency, and deadlines with your agent. If affordability becomes an obstacle, discuss whether a closing-cost credit or mortgage-rate buydown could help. The buyer’s lender must confirm what the loan program allows. Seller-funded incentives affect your proceeds and do not guarantee approval.

3. The Buyer Needs to Sell Another Home

A buyer’s inability to sell their current home was cited by 21% of agents. When the purchase depends on another sale, a delay or cancellation in that transaction can affect yours.

Ask whether the buyer’s home is listed, under contract, or approaching closing. Review the home-sale contingency, its deadlines, and your flexibility on timing. Your agent can help you compare the offer’s conditions, while a real estate attorney can explain contractual protections and cancellation rights.

Make a Plan for a Buyer Backing Out

Before your first showing, agree on three things with your agent: which repairs you’ll complete, what concessions your budget can support, and how much flexibility you have on the closing date.

A canceled contract won’t automatically lead to a buyer backing out completely. Once the contract situation is resolved, review what happened with your agent. A repair concern may be addressable, or the buyer’s circumstances may have changed. Use that information to prepare for another offer.

Before you list, connect with a local CENTURY 21 Affiliated agent to discuss whether a pre-listing inspection makes sense, identify likely negotiation points, and plan for the timing of your move.