You can still make an offer on a house labeled contingent or pending. However, when a property has one of these statuses, it means that an offer has been accepted, so the sale is in progress. The deal hasn't been finalized, so it still gives you an opportunity.
When a buyer makes a contingent offer on a house, they're saying, “I want to buy this house, but only if certain conditions are met.” These are the conditions, or contingencies, that can be: The buyer needs to sell their current home first. The house needs to pass a home inspection.
It won't hurt anything to look at a house listed as contingent. Nor will it hurt to submit a backup offer, if possible. That said, you should anticipate the original contract going through to close.
In most cases, putting an offer in on a contingent home is an option to consider. Although it doesn't guarantee you'll close on the home, it does mean you could be first in line should the current contract fall through. Putting an offer in on a contingent home is similar to the homebuying process of any active listing.