One such contract is the contingency contract, which adds an element of flexibility and risk mitigation. Contingency contract is a legally binding document that specifies a condition that needs to be met before the contract can be executed.
If there is a problem meeting the conditions of the sale, such as the buyer's finance arrangements falling through or they are unhappy with the results of a building inspection and decide to withdraw from the sale, the buyer must let their lawyer or conveyancer know as soon as possible.
Technically, yes — a seller can back out of a contingent offer. Before agreeing, they can choose to reject or counter the original offer with their own terms. Once the offer is accepted, if the contingencies aren't met, the seller can back out but there may be legal or financial implications involved.
A contingent contract can also be viewed as protection against a future change of plans. Contingent contracts can also lead to effective agreement when each party has different time preferences. For example, one party may desire immediate payoffs, while the other party may be interested in more long-term payoffs.