What Does It Mean To Be A Backup Buyer?

Posted on: 17 January 2020

In the world of real estate, transactions with homes occur every single day, but a transaction to buy a house does not take place in just one day. Instead, it takes weeks to close on a deal, and there are times when deals fall through. In many cases, homeowners will look for backup buyers to minimize the delays and effects of a deal falling through, and here are several things to understand about what it means to be a backup buyer.

A Backup Buyer Is the Next in Line to Buy a House

When a house is under contract, it means that a buyer and seller have reached an agreement for the house, but there is always a chance that the deal will not actually go through. Therefore, a person selling a house might agree to have a backup buyer just in case. The backup buyer is the person who is next in line to buy a house if the original deal goes through. If there are several people who want to buy the same house, a deal may have several backup buyers. The first one in line will be able to buy the house if the original deal falls through. The next one in line would have the chance to buy the house if the original deals falls through and if the first backup buyer's deal falls through.

Becoming a Backup Buyer Has Risks and Rewards

Becoming a backup buyer has some rewards to it and some risks. The main reward is that it gives you the first right to buy a house if the deal does not go through with the first buyer. In a case where you really want a certain house, becoming the backup buyer may offer a nice reward for you if the first deal does not end up working out.

The main risk you have in this is that you might not end up with the house. The first deal might go through, which would leave you without the house. The second risk is that it could tie up some of your time, but this is only if you agree to wait to shop for a different house for a certain length of time.

Are you interested in buying a house that is already under a contract for sale? If so, you might still have an opportunity to buy this house, and you could begin the process by becoming a backup buyer. Your real estate agent can help you learn more about this if you have questions or concerns.

To learn more about buying homes for sale, contact a real estate agent.

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