A pending sale means the seller has accepted an offer but the deal hasn’t closed yet. A property is placed in pending status when the contract is executed; when the contract is executed, in other words, the property is no longer defined as an active listing. A home will remain pending until all legal work has been processed and the loan closes. If your dream house is currently listed as pending, don’t lose all hope. Some sellers will still allow offers to be made on the house, just in case the deal falls through. Here are a few reasons a deal may fall through.
Finances
Homebuyers are often not aware of how an innocent transaction, such as making a large credit card purchase or moving cash from one back account to another, can jeopardize the mortgage process. Applying for any new kind of credit or accruing any new debt can affect your eligibility to continue with the loan. If any type of financial transaction is made that disqualifies you from continuing with the loan, the pending sale will fall through and the home will likely go back on the market. Always discuss your financial situation with your loan officer during the loan process.
Title Issues on the Property
Once a contract has been written up and the buyers start the loan process, title work on the property will be reviewed. Sometimes there are delinquent liens/bills on the property from the current owner, among other issues, that can affect closing. If the liens are not taken care of by the seller and cleared from the title, a lender will not allow the sale to go through. Errors of public records on title work can also stop a sale from continuing. Clerical or filing errors of the deed or survey of the property can cause financial strain to resolve, so they are not taken care of and the sale falls through.
‘Subject To’ Conditions
A smart buyer will have a property inspection done on the house before closing. An inspector will take a look at the foundation of the house, roof, attic, appliances, and list of other items to make sure everything is in working condition. If issues are found in the house that need to be fixed, the borrower may list “subject to” or “contingent upon” conditions on the contract. If these items are not fulfilled by the seller, the borrower is allowed to exit the contract, thus removing the pending status.
While it is not common for a deal to fall through once a contract is written up, it could happen. It’s a good idea to still follow the sale of the home and keep it in the back of your mind. Contact one of our loan officers if you have any questions, they will be happy to help!
