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Buying a Home in Arden Hills: What is a Contingent Listing
Counselor Realty agents help you make the right decisions as you seek and bid on your perfect home. Whether you're looking for Arden Hills homes for sale or at homes from any of our many other service areas throughout Minnesota, we'll go the extra mile for you to make your buying process easier.
Among all the real estate terms you might encounter on your home buying journey, the contingent listing is very common, but also one of the most confusing. Let's dive deep into the meaning behind a contingent listing and get the facts.
What is a Contingent Listing?
A contingent listing is a property that remains listed for sale even though it has already received a contingent offer. A contingent offer, in turn, is a bid on the property that is contingent – that is, it depends on – certain criteria that must be met by the prospective buyer in the near future.
What Does a Contingent Listing Mean for Buyers?
When a contingent offer is out on a property, it simply means that you aren't the only one in the running to purchase that home. Technically, a contingent offer has been accepted by the seller. However, that doesn't mean you should give up on the property entirely
When Do Contingent Offers Happen?
A contingent offer usually means there's some doubt about whether the buyer can pull through. The buyer and seller may have rapport, but their timeframe simply isn't matching up – or there's concern about financing. The offer gives the buyer the opportunity to pull out of a deal risk-free.
What Kind of "Contingencies" Happen in a Contingent Offer?
When there's an outstanding contingent offer, it usually means one (or several) of three things:
- The Property Needs to Be Appraised
Traditional lenders want to be very sure of the appraised value of a property before they will extend a loan – the property can't be more valuable than the financing package, of course, but it also can't be significantly undervalued in comparison to the expected loan package. - The Property Needs to Be Inspected
A property inspection helps protect buyers from purchasing a home that has serious issues, such as problems with the plumbing or electrical system. In some cases, lenders – especially those offering programs for first-time home buyers – require inspections before releasing funds. - The Mortgage Isn't Finalized Yet
There are many other reasons a mortgage loan may not be finalized at the time an offer is made. Even when everything has been done correctly, the paperwork behind a mortgage can still take weeks to clear. Sometimes, it's simply faster to set up an offer.
What Should I Do When a Home I Want Has a Contingent Offer?
Even if there's a contingent offer on a home, you can still make your interest known – and that's what you should do. Likewise, you can take steps to make sure that if the opportunity comes, you'll have the funds ready. However, the buyer can't entertain your offer until their existing offer plays out. That may take weeks, so keep your options open and keep looking.
Navigate the Unexpected in Your House Hunt with Counselor Realty
With Counselor Realty, you'll have experts helping you every step of the way when it comes to contingent offers – or anything else your search for the perfect home may throw at you.
A good real estate agent not only helps you roll with the unexpected but also works tirelessly to minimize the surprises you have to deal with. That's the Counselor Realty way.
Contact us to learn how we can help you reach a faster, easier closing.
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Agency License Information: Counselor Realty, Inc. is licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin; Counselor Realty, Inc. of Alexandria is licensed in Minnesota; Counselor Realty Detroit Lakes, LLC is licensed in Minnesota; Counselor Realty of Rochester is licensed in Minnesota; Counselor Realty of Victoria, LLC is licensed in Minnesota; Counselor Realty of Brainerd is licensed in Minnesota.
Disclaimer: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information on this site was last updated 03/06/2026. The listing information on this page last changed on 03/06/2026. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of Delta Media Group MLS (last updated Fri 03/06/2026 3:09:18 AM EST) or RMLS-MN MLS (last updated Fri 03/06/2026 12:02:34 AM EST). Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Counselor Realty may be marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and detailed information about those properties will include the name of the listing broker(s) when required by the MLS. All rights reserved.
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