Kick-out clause
A clause that lets the seller keep marketing the home even after accepting a home-sale-contingent offer. If a stronger offer comes in, the first buyer gets a short window to remove the contingency or step aside.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
It is the seller's answer to a home-sale contingency: you keep showing, and if a better offer arrives the first buyer has a short time to commit or step aside. It keeps a contingent offer from taking the home off the market.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
You accept a contingent offer with a 72-hour kick-out. Two weeks later a non-contingent offer arrives at the same price.
| What the first buyer does in 72 hours | What follows |
|---|---|
| Removes the home-sale contingency | They keep the contract, now without the safety net |
| Does nothing | The contract ends and the second buyer moves in |
| Asks for more time | Only if you agree; the clock is in the contract |
A kick-out clause gives the contingent buyer a deadline instead of a veto.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That a kick-out lets you cancel whenever you like. It only fires when another acceptable offer arrives, and the first buyer gets their window first.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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