Home Q&A Forum Can I back out of a purchase agreement?

Real Estate

Purchase Agreement

Washington

Asked on Oct 31, 2023

Can I back out of a purchase agreement?

I recently signed a purchase agreement for a house. I was unaware of some major repairs that need to be done and now I am worried that I won't be able to afford them. I am trying to figure out if there is any way I can back out of the purchase agreement and if so, what steps would I need to take.

Answers from 1 Lawyer

Answer

Real Estate

Washington

Answered 900 days ago

Merry K.

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Licensed in Washington
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5.0 (18)
Member Since:
July 26, 2023

A well-written purchase offer usually includes several ways for a buyer to back out of the purchase without any penalty - for example, if the buyer doesn't like the inspector's report, one can usually back out on that basis - another typical one is failing to obtain a loan. I hope your buyer's agent wrote up the offer in a way that gave you 2 or 3 "escape clauses" - you should talk with your agent, but if there are problems, I would recommend that you have a real estate attorney review your offer and help you get out of the offer - if possible - with minimal or no cost to you.

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Your question suggests a real estate purchase. Oral contracts for the sale or transfer of land are subject to the statute of frauds in most states. This requires such agreements to be in writing and signed by the parties to be enforceable. Although there are some limited exceptions, I recommend trying to get your verbal agreement memorialized in writing as soon as possible.

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