Last updated November 13, 2026. By Steven J. Thomas, Broker, Refind Realty DFW · Loan Officer, Envision Home Lenders, NMLS #689220

You can, if the contract has a kick-out clause and the buyer's own house is already listed and priced to sell. A contingent offer means the buyer has to sell their home first. In DeSoto, where 192 homes were for sale in October 2026 (NTREIS), a strong contingent offer can beat waiting for a clean one. A weak one ties up your house.

Should I accept a contingent offer on my house in DeSoto, TX?

Accept it when you can keep marketing the house and the buyer's sale looks real. Turn it down, or counter, when the buyer's house is not listed yet or the contingency date runs past your own plans. The offer is only as good as the house the buyer still has to sell.

DeSoto sellers have more company right now. The city had 192 active single-family listings in October 2026, up from 164 a year earlier, and 5.5 months of supply, up from 3.9 (NTREIS Monthly MLS Summary Report, October 2026). The median home took 63 days to sell. A buyer who wants your house enough to write an offer has value in that market, even if the offer comes with a string attached.

What is a contingent offer?

A contingent offer is a contract that only closes if the buyer sells their current home first. In Texas, that condition goes on the TREC Addendum for Sale of Other Property by Buyer, TREC No. 10-6. The buyer names their property and a deadline. If they have not sold by that date, the contract ends and their earnest money goes back to them.

You can read the form itself on the Texas Real Estate Commission site. It is one page.

How does the kick-out clause protect a DeSoto seller?

The kick-out clause lets you keep showing the house and accept a better offer. Under paragraph B of TREC No. 10-6, if you accept another written offer, you notify the first buyer and require them to waive the contingency. They get a set number of days to do it. The number is blank on the form, so you and the buyer negotiate it.

To waive, the buyer must notify you in writing and deposit additional earnest money in an amount the contract states (paragraph C). If they do not waive in time, the contract ends and you move forward with the backup buyer. If they waive and then fail to close because their house did not sell, they are in default (paragraph D).

The clause works in your favor only if you use it. Keep the house on the market, keep showings going, and keep your listing photos and price current.

What should I check before I say yes?

Check the buyer's house as closely as the buyer. Five questions cover most of it:

1. Is their house listed? A house already on the market is further along than one that "will list next month."
2. Is it under contract? If their buyer has signed and the option period has ended, the risk drops. Ask for the contract status in writing.
3. Is it priced to the closed sales in their area? Have your agent pull the comps on their address. An overpriced house is the most common reason a contingent deal stalls.
4. Does their lender approval allow for the sale? Ask for a pre-approval letter that states whether the loan depends on selling their current home.
5. How many days to waive, and how much extra earnest money? Shorter windows and real money show the buyer is serious.

For how a deal can still fall apart after you sign, see the DeSoto seller's backup offer plan.

Contingent offer vs. waiting for a clean offer

Here is how the two paths compare for a DeSoto seller, based on current conditions:

Question	Accept a strong contingent offer	Wait for a non-contingent offer
Can you keep marketing?	Yes, with a kick-out clause	Yes
Who controls the timeline?	Partly the buyer's sale	You and the next buyer
Days on market	Keeps building while the buyer sells	Keeps building; the median DeSoto home took 63 days in October 2026 (NTREIS)
Carrying costs	You keep paying mortgage, taxes and insurance until closing	The same, until a buyer shows up and closes
Main risk	The buyer's house does not sell by the deadline	No offer comes in at your price

The honest comparison is not contingent offer vs. perfect offer. It is contingent offer vs. the offers you are actually getting. If your house has had showings and no offers, read whether DeSoto is a buyer's market right now before you turn one down.

Why are contingent offers showing up more in DeSoto?

Many of the buyers touring DeSoto homes own a home already and need its equity to buy the next one. That is a move-up buyer, the same person many DeSoto sellers are about to become.

DeSoto pending sales rose to 36 in October 2026 from 33 a year earlier, while DFW pending sales fell 23% (NTREIS, October 2026). Some of those DeSoto buyers are selling and buying at the same time. Contracts also fall apart more than they used to: Redfin reported that 15.9% of Dallas-area homes that went under contract in September 2026 were canceled. A contingent buyer with a well-priced house can be steadier than a clean offer from a buyer who has not checked their numbers.

What does a contingent offer do to my net proceeds?

Nothing directly. Your net depends on price, concessions and closing costs, not on the addendum. What changes is time. Each month the house stays yours, you keep paying the mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities. Ask your agent to run your net sheet at two closing dates so you see the cost of waiting in dollars. Here is how much you net selling a DeSoto house.

If you are planning to sell and buy, the buyer's situation and yours often line up. When I map a sell-and-buy plan, the gap between two closings is the part people worry about most, and a contingent buyer is dealing with the same gap. That is why the questions above matter more than the word "contingent."

Get your free Home Selling Score to see how your DeSoto house stacks up against the homes buyers are choosing right now.

More on selling in the city: DeSoto real estate and neighborhoods and how I list homes in DeSoto.

FAQ: contingent offers in DeSoto

Can I keep showing my house after I accept a contingent offer?

Yes, if the contract uses the kick-out provision in TREC No. 10-6. Your agent keeps marketing it and can bring you a backup offer. Make sure the listing status and showing instructions match what the contract allows.

How long should the contingency period be?

Short enough that you are not stuck through another season. Set the deadline no later than the closing date in the contract, as the form's notice says. Most of the negotiating happens on this date and on the days the buyer gets to waive.

What if the buyer's house is not listed yet?

That offer carries the most risk. Ask for a listing date, a list price based on comps, and a shorter contingency deadline. Or counter and ask them to come back once their house is under contract.

Does the buyer lose earnest money if their house does not sell?

No, as long as the contingency is still in place. Under paragraph A, the contract ends and the earnest money goes back to the buyer. The risk shifts to the buyer only after they waive the contingency.

Is a contingent offer better than a lower clean offer?

It depends on the gap in price and the strength of the buyer's sale. Compare both on a net sheet with realistic closing dates. A higher price that never closes is worth nothing.

Should I counter a contingent offer?

Often, yes. Counter on the contingency deadline, the waive window and the extra earnest money as well as the price. Those terms decide how much risk you carry.

About the author

Steven J. Thomas holds a financial planning degree from Baylor University and has more than 20 years in financial services. He is the Broker at Refind Realty DFW (TREC Broker License #0657467) and a Loan Officer at Envision Home Lenders (NMLS #689220), based in DeSoto, TX. Call or text 972-846-9170.

Data is based on current conditions and is not a guarantee of future prices, timelines or outcomes. This article is general information about a TREC form, not legal advice; read the full contract and addendum before you sign. The Texas Real Estate Commission's Information About Brokerage Services and Consumer Protection Notice are available on request. Refind Realty DFW is an equal housing opportunity business.