More Contracts are Falling Through. Here's How to Get Ahead

Why More Home Deals Are Falling Apart Today

If you're buying or selling a home, it helps to know that more contracts are collapsing today than usual. This can throw your plans off, cost you money, and delay your next move. Many families end up paying for inspections, appraisals, and repairs twice because a deal falls apart. Most of this can be avoided with a few smart steps.

How Often Are Deals Canceling

National data shows that in June, July, and August, more than 15% of homes that went under contract canceled. The normal rate is about 10% to 12%. That extra 3% to 5% may not sound big, but it hurts your momentum when you're counting on the move.

Why It's Happening

A big reason is the home inspection phase. Buyers are more cautious today because:

• Prices are higher
• Interest rates push monthly payments up
• Insurance costs add even more
• Taxes can bump payments past what buyers expect

So even one small item on an inspection report can cause a buyer to walk. It’s rarely the actual issue. It's the final push that makes the numbers feel too heavy.

Buyers often think they understand their monthly payment, then the lender updates the insurance or taxes, and suddenly the payment jumps. Add one more repair concern and the deal can fall apart.

How Sellers Can Stay Ahead

You can avoid this by getting a pre-listing inspection before your home hits the market. It lets you fix issues that could scare buyers later.

With a pre-listing inspection you can:

• Fix the most important items
• Ignore the things that don't matter
• Show buyers the repairs you already completed
• Build trust and confidence
• Reduce the chance of renegotiations
• Increase the chance of an offer without a due diligence period

When buyers see a clean report and proof of repairs, they're more likely to move forward and may even take the home as is.

How the Dave Friedman Team Helps

The Dave Friedman Team guides you through:

• Choosing a trusted inspector at a low price
• Deciding which repairs matter
• Finding vendors and comparing prices
• Marketing your home with your inspection results
• Positioning your home to attract multiple offers

When you combine a pre-listing inspection with our guaranteed multiple offers strategy, you get leverage. More offers mean more negotiating power. Many buyers will waive due diligence and accept the home as is when they see a solid inspection report.

A Real Example

Karen in Charleston worried about her older roof and HVAC. She assumed she’d need to spend $20,000 to replace them. Instead, she used the team's multiple offer guarantee.

The result:

• Sold for $4,000 over asking
• Got an as is contract
• Didn’t replace the roof or HVAC
• Closed fast
• Spent $0 on major repairs

She said she never expected it to be that easy.

The Bottom Line

Spending a few hundred dollars on a pre-listing inspection can save you thousands by preventing a canceled contract. And when you combine that with multiple offers, you gain strong negotiating power for "as is" terms.

If you're thinking about buying or selling in Charleston, visit davefriedmanteam.com, click the links below or call (843) 972 3833.