This is getting real. You accepted an offer on your house. But stay focused. Now you have to tackle contingencies.

Contingencies refer to the things that need to happen before your home sale can be finalized. If contingencies aren’t met by closing day, you or your buyer are legally allowed to back out of the deal—fair and square. As the seller, you’ll mainly want to pay attention to contingencies like these:

• Home inspection
• Appraisal
• Financing

We’ll cover what you need to know about each one so you can have peace of mind as you approach the finish line of your home sale.

Even if you paid for an inspection before you listed your home, your buyer will likely want to get an inspection of their own. Hopefully, there won’t be any big surprises. But don’t panic if the buyer’s home inspector uncovers a few issues yours didn’t.

If new issues do pop up, how do you decide what needs to be fixed to close the deal? Your real estate agent can help you make the call. In some cases, you can offer cash at closing or a discount on the sales price to cover the cost of repairs. In other cases, the buyer’s appraiser may require certain repairs for the sale to go through based on the buyer’s loan and the value of your home.

If a major fix does rear its ugly head, your agent can help you gather a few professional quotes for the repair. That way you have an accurate dollar amount to work with as you negotiate a solution that makes everybody happy.

The appraisal can be a real nail-biter. After all, the buyer’s ability to finance the purchase depends on it. That’s why one of the first steps is to price your home according to the market. But it’s also important to do everything you can to make sure the appraisal accurately represents your home.

Here’s how to improve your appraisal odds:

• Leave your home sparkling clean so the appraiser knows your home has been well-maintained.
• Make a detailed list of any improvements you’ve made to the home and try to include invoices or receipts.
• Ask your agent to provide a well-researched list of houses similar to yours to support your sales price.

Give yourself plenty of time to deal with appraisal issues before closing day. You don’t want to be packed up and ready to move only to find out you have to start back at square one.

The ball may be in the buyer’s court at this stage, but it’s no time to sit on the sidelines. No one wins if the deal falls apart in the final seconds. That’s why you need a real estate agent who’s willing to carry the ball to get you to the goal.

An excellent agent supports you during this waiting period by:

• Maintaining a clear stream of communication
• Contacting the buyer’s lender to push the approval process through on time
• Actively investigating red flags that could put your deal in danger
• Connecting the buyer with an alternate lender if the original one falls through

So how do you keep a lack of financing from killing your deal? Look for a buyer who’s already been preapproved for a mortgage. That means they’ve submitted the required paperwork and the lender has verified exactly how much they’re willing to fund.

Just know it’s not bulletproof. Buyers lose jobs, open credit cards, and take out new car loans—all of which can throw a wrench into the final approval. If that happens, an experienced agent will help you make the best of a bad situation.

Nothing’s more frustrating than working hard to sell a home only to have the deal crash and burn. Here are common pitfalls that can put your home deal at risk and ways to bring it back from the brink.

• A title search uncovers an open lien on your property. Open liens (and any other title issues that give someone else the right to take possession of your house) must be cleared before you can close the deal. If the lien in question is covered under your title insurance policy, that should make it go away. If not, you’ll have to resolve or pay the lien before you can close.

• The home inspection identifies a big-ticket repair. This means another round of negotiation with the buyer—and the potential for more money out of your pocket. With an expert negotiator in your corner, you should have no trouble moving forward with your deal. You just may need to be willing to meet the buyer in the middle to address the issue.

• Your buyer’s financing falls through. Without financing, your buyer likely won’t have the cash to close on the home. Unless your buyer secures another lender before closing day, you can pretty much count on going back to square one to find a buyer who can afford your home. Again, look for a buyer who is already preapproved—or paying in cash!

• An issue comes up in the final walk-through. Last-minute surprises in your home’s condition must be handled before closing. Follow the Golden Rule by leaving the home the way you’d want someone to leave it for you.

• Your home is appraised for less than the sale price. For the deal to go through, someone has to shell out more money to bridge the gap. Odds of recovery depend on how big the gap is between the appraisal value and the sales price. You and the buyer may have to split the difference.

• Your agent can dispute a questionable appraisal.
• You can drop your contract price.
• The buyer can bring the difference in cash.
• You and the buyer can meet somewhere in the middle.
• Both parties can call the deal quits.

Now you’re armed and ready to handle contingencies with confidence. If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to closing the deal and getting the money you deserve for your biggest asset!