Contracts

    Contingency

    A condition in a contract that must be satisfied for the deal to move forward, such as financing, inspection, or appraisal.

    A contingency is a condition written into a contract that must be met before the parties are obligated to close. Common examples are a financing contingency, an inspection contingency, and an appraisal contingency.

    If a contingency is not satisfied within its deadline, the protected party can usually cancel the contract and, in many cases, recover the earnest money.

    On the exam

    A contingency must be met for the contract to proceed. Failing it usually lets the protected party cancel.

    Exam trap

    A contingency protects a party until a condition is met. Waiving or missing a contingency deadline can forfeit that protection.

    Tested in

    Contracts (12% of the exam)

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    This definition is Florida real estate exam-prep education, not legal, tax, or professional advice. Verify current rules against the official source before relying on them for a real transaction. Back to the full glossary.