1. Qualify without selling
We keep the buyer's current house payment from counting against them, so they qualify now — before their home sells. How it works »
For listing agents · · Mike Certo, NMLS #260555
We remove the contingency so your deal closes.
Your contract is contingent on the buyer selling their own home — the single biggest risk to your close. We qualify the buyer to purchase without waiting on that sale, and we have four ways to do it. Introduce us to the buyer's agent and we find the fastest, cheapest fit.
Introduce us to the buyer's agent »
Four ways we remove the contingency
Contingencies come down to the buyer's current home: a client either can't qualify carrying both payments, or they need the equity out of their home to make the purchase. Sometimes both. We solve for whatever is blocking the deal, then match the buyer to the option that does it cheapest.
2. Bridge loan
We tap the equity in the buyer's current home to fund the new purchase now, then the bridge pays off when they sell. How it works »
3. $2,500 backup contract
A guaranteed safety-net offer on the buyer's home so they can make a strong, non-contingent offer with confidence. How it works »
4. The right loan program
We carry a deep bench of programs — conventional, jumbo, and specialized portfolio options. Whatever the buyer's credit, down payment, or income picture, we have one that fits. See the niche programs »
Why the contingency is the threat
A contract contingent on the buyer's sale means your seller is waiting on a home neither of you controls. If the buyer's home stalls, the timeline slips, the kick-out clock starts, or the deal falls apart. Take away the buyer's need to sell first and that risk goes away.
Why we're the right lender for this
Most lenders treat a contingent buyer as someone to wait on. We treat them as someone to qualify now. We're a direct lender, so we control the underwriting and the timeline. Because we have more than one tool and a deep bench of programs, we're never forced into the most expensive one — we run the buyer's profile, pick the most cost-effective path, and coordinate with the buyer and their agent so you're not the one chasing documents.
What we can do that conventional guidelines won't
We're a direct lender with a deep Non-QM (non-qualified mortgage) shelf, so we can say yes where the standard rulebook says no. Here's where that matters for a contingent buyer, side by side with what a conventional loan requires. Exact treatment varies by loan program, the file, and where the buyer's home is in the selling process — these are general contrasts, not guarantees, and we confirm the specifics on the buyer's actual file.
Clearing or offsetting the old house payment
| The buyer's situation | What we can do | What conventional guidelines require |
|---|---|---|
| Will rent the old home, but hasn't signed a tenant yet | Use 75% of the market rent from an appraiser's rent estimate to offset the old payment. No signed lease needed. | A signed lease plus proof the security deposit and first month were received. Without a lease, the rent often can't be used without documentation, so both payments may be counted to qualify. |
| Home is listed, or the buyer commits to list within 90 days | With about 20% equity in the home, we exclude the old mortgage payment entirely. | No exclusion for a listed-but-not-sold home. The buyer has to qualify carrying both payments. |
| Home is under contract, not yet closed | Exclude the old payment once financing contingencies clear. On our lead program, no equity test and no settlement statement required. | Exclusion is allowed with an executed contract and cleared financing contingencies, but the documentation bar is higher. |
| Buyer keeps the old home as a long-term rental | Up to 100% of the rent with a signed lease (and the income can help them qualify), or 80% of market rent with no lease. | 75% of the gross rent (a 25% vacancy factor), and generally a lease with supporting documentation. |
| Buyer is relocating for a job | An employer relocation buyout removes the old payment with the buyout paperwork. | Relocation provisions exist but vary; the payment generally still counts without qualifying documentation. |
We run the buyer's profile against every program and pick the one that clears your contingency at the lowest cost. And when a conventional or jumbo loan paired with our $2,500 backup contract is actually the cheaper route, we'll tell you that too.
Related guides
- Qualify without selling the current home
- Bridge loan (full product detail)
- $2,500 guaranteed backup contract
- All services
FAQ
How do you remove a sale contingency on my listing?
We requalify the buyer so their current home's payment stops blocking the new loan. We do that one of three ways: stop the buyer's current house payment from counting once their home is under contract or carries enough equity, fund the new purchase with a bridge loan against their current-home equity, or back the buyer with a $2,500 guaranteed backup contract. Once the buyer no longer needs their sale to close first, the contingency comes off and your deal moves to a clean close.
What if my buyer's home hasn't sold yet?
That's the exact situation we solve. The buyer's home does not need to be sold, and in many cases it does not even need to be under contract. A bridge loan taps the equity in their current home to fund the new purchase now, and the equity or listing path can let us exclude the old payment before any sale closes. We pick the path that fits where the buyer's home is in the process.
How fast can you qualify the buyer?
We are a direct lender, so once we have the buyer's documents we move quickly to a revised qualifying letter, often within a few business days. If the buyer was already pre-approved elsewhere, we just add the structure that removes the contingency. Introduce us to the buyer's agent and we start the same day.
Does this cost the buyer more?
It depends on the buyer's profile. We have multiple cost-effective options and we find the cheapest fit for that specific buyer. For some buyers a conventional or jumbo loan paired with the backup contract is the most economical path; for others the qualify-without-selling or bridge path is worth a little more for the freedom of not waiting on a sale. We run both and show the buyer which is cheaper for their situation. We do not quote rates here.
What kinds of buyers can you qualify that other lenders turn away?
Plenty. We're a direct lender with a deep Non-QM shelf. We exclude a buyer's current house payment once their home is under contract, on some programs with no minimum equity and before it closes. We offset 75 to 100% of market rent if they keep it as a rental. We qualify self-employed buyers on bank statements, strong-asset buyers on their savings, and buyers with a recent credit event sooner than agency loans allow. We match the buyer to the program that removes your contingency at the lowest cost.
What do you need from me?
Just an introduction to the buyer's agent, plus your listing address if you'd like us to keep it in view. We reach out to the buyer's agent, run the buyer's options, and report back on which structure removes the contingency. We handle the buyer and the buyer's agent start to finish so you can keep selling the home.