5 Common Contingent Statuses
There are several subcategories of contingent statuses, each with a slightly different meaning.
1. Contingent: Continue To Show (CCS)
If an active listing is marked as Contingent: Continue to Show, or CCS, multiple contingencies may need to be satisfied. In this case, the seller and their agent have decided to continue to show the property and may even accept a better offer from another potential buyer.
To prevent your offer from being overlooked, you have numerous ways you can show the seller you’re serious about buying their property. These include getting preapproved for a home loan or making an earnest money deposit. Work with your real estate agent to see what you can do to strengthen your home offer.
2. Contingent: No Show
In a Contingent: No Show scenario, the seller has decided to no longer show the property or accept other offers. This status likely means that although certain contingencies haven’t been met, the seller is confident they will be.
3. Contingent: With Or Without A Kick-Out Clause
If the contingent status has a kick-out clause, it means there’s a deadline to fulfill all contingencies. Without a kick-out clause, there’s no set deadline in place. In other words, the seller can take their time meeting all the contingencies listed in the buyer’s offer.
4. Contingent: Short Sale
A short sale is when the seller (usually a bank or other mortgage lender) has indicated they’ll accept less money than is owed on the mortgage. The short-sale process can often take months to complete. A Contingent: Short-Sale status indicates that the home is no longer for sale due to an accepted offer, but the short sale is still in process.
5. Contingent: Probate
The Contingent: Probate status occurs when an estate is being sold due to the death of the homeowner. Probate is the legal process of reviewing the will and assets of the deceased to figure out the distribution of those assets.
