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Home Sale Contingency in Connecticut: What It Is and 5 Ways to Remove It

Short answer

A home sale contingency makes your purchase depend on selling your current home first. In Connecticut it is usually written as a Hubbard clause, which lets the seller keep marketing and kick you out on short notice. Sellers often reject it when they have other offers. Five common ways to remove it are compared below.

  • Bridge loan or AFC Cash Offer: offer without the contingency, sell after you move
  • HELOC first: lower cost, but it has to be open before you list
  • Sell first with a rent-back, or keep a Hubbard clause as the fallback

Reviewed by Gaetano Ciambriello, NMLS #1783508 · Updated September 2026

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What a Home Sale Contingency Is

A home sale contingency (also called a sale-of-buyer's-property contingency) protects you from owning two homes. If your house does not sell by the date in the contract, you can walk away and your deposit comes back. On Connecticut REALTOR forms it typically comes in two versions:

CompareHubbard riderUnder Contract rider
When it's usedYour home is not yet under contractYour home already has a signed buyer
Seller keeps marketing?Yes. The seller can accept another offer and give you noticeAdditional offers can only be back-ups
Kick-outYes, after notice (commonly 72 hours)No kick-out. Deadlines tie to your buyer's contingencies
How sellers see itWeakest form of offerStronger, because your sale is already in motion

Source: Greater Hartford Association of REALTORS®, Sale of Buyer's Property Contingencies: Hubbard Clause and Under Contract Riders (revised August 2025). With the seller's agreement, a Hubbard can be replaced with the Under Contract rider once your home has a signed buyer.

Deep dive: What is a Hubbard clause in Connecticut?

Why Connecticut Sellers Reject It

  • Their closing depends on your sale. The seller can't plan a move around a house they don't control.
  • Timing is open-ended. A Contingency Date months out is a long time to wait on a maybe.
  • Competing offers win. When a non-contingent offer is on the table, most sellers take it, sometimes even at a lower price.
  • It chills other buyers. Some buyers skip a listing that already has an accepted offer.
  • It adds work. A kick-out means written notices, deadlines and possibly a back-up contract, which attorneys on both sides have to manage.

5 Ways to Remove a Home Sale Contingency

OptionHow it worksWhat it costsSpeedBest when
1. AFC bridge loanBorrow against your current home (up to 80% combined loan-to-value) for the down payment. No monthly bridge payment while you sell.2.5% origination, 1% per month accruing (paid at payoff), $3,250 in fees. No prepayment penalty.Funded as soon as 7 business days after approvalYou are writing offers now and have equity
2. AFC Cash OfferOur bridge fund backs your offer so the seller sees a cash buyer.Same pricing as the bridge loanBridge funding as soon as 7 business days after approval; a typical Cash Offer purchase closes in about 2 to 4 weeksThe seller wants certainty and a fast close
3. HELOC firstOpen a home equity line on your current home before you list, then draw the down payment.Varies by lender. Usually lower than a bridge, with a monthly payment on the balanceTypically several weeks to openYou are 60+ days from listing and can carry the payment
4. Sell first, rent backSign a sale on your current home with a rent-back or post-closing occupancy, then buy with the proceeds.Rent-back terms are negotiated with your buyerDepends on your saleYou want certainty on your sale price before you buy
5. Hubbard clause (fallback)Keep the contingency but accept the seller's kick-out right.No lender costImmediateThe market is slow and the seller has no other offers

Representative example: a $250,000 bridge loan held the full 12-month term has a 2.5% origination fee ($6,250), $3,250 in attorney, processing and wire fees, and $30,000 of interest at 1% per month, for a total cost of credit of $39,500 and an APR of about 16.4%. Paying off early costs less; there is no prepayment penalty and no minimum interest. HELOC and rent-back terms depend on the lender and the parties.

Quick math on option 1

A $200,000 bridge repaid in month 4 costs $5,000 origination + $8,000 interest + $3,250 fees = $16,250. For comparison, our buy-before-you-sell bridges were paid off a median of 59 days after funding.

Compare more: Bridge loan vs HELOC · Bridge loan vs home equity loan · Buy before you sell programs in Connecticut · AFC Bridge Loan Report

Which Option Fits

  • Under contract on the house you want, or writing an offer this week: bridge loan or Cash Offer.
  • Two or more months before you list, with room in your budget for a payment: open a HELOC first.
  • Price certainty matters more than getting a specific house: sell first and negotiate a rent-back.
  • Slow market, seller with no other offers: a Hubbard clause may be accepted, but plan for a kick-out.
  • Most Connecticut bridge lenders you'll find are investor-only. AFC funds owner-occupied bridge loans from its own fund.

Home Sale Contingency FAQ

What is a home sale contingency?
A home sale contingency is a clause in a purchase contract that makes your purchase depend on selling your current home. If your home does not sell, or your buyer's contingencies are not satisfied, by the date in the contract, you can typically walk away and get your deposit back. In Connecticut the kick-out version is called a Hubbard clause.
What does no home sale contingency mean?
It means your offer does not depend on selling your current home. You are committing to close whether or not your house has sold, so you need the down payment and qualification in place without the sale proceeds. Buyers usually get there with a bridge loan, a HELOC opened before listing, cash reserves, or by selling first.
How long is a home sale contingency?
There is no fixed length. The Contingency Date is negotiated in each contract. If the seller has a kick-out right, a separate short notice period, commonly 72 hours in Connecticut, applies once the seller gives notice of another offer.
What makes a home sale contingent?
A listing is shown as contingent or under contract when the seller has accepted an offer that still has conditions to clear, such as the buyer's own home sale, financing or inspection. With a home sale contingency, the seller may keep showing the property and accept back-up offers.
Can I remove a home sale contingency after my offer is accepted?
Yes. Standard Connecticut REALTOR forms let the buyer remove it by showing a signed sale of their home with contingencies satisfied, proof of funds to close without selling, or a mortgage commitment that does not depend on the sale. Once removed, failing to close because your home did not sell can put you in default, so review it with your attorney first.
Is a Hubbard clause the same as a home sale contingency?
A Hubbard clause is a type of home sale contingency. The difference is the kick-out: the seller keeps marketing the home and can force you to remove the contingency on short notice if another acceptable offer arrives.

Make an Offer Without the Contingency

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AFC Mortgage Group, LLC · NMLS #2801 (NMLS Consumer Access) · Equal Housing Lender · Licensed in AL, CA, CT, FL, GA, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, SC, OH, RI, VT, PA, TN, TX. This site is not approved by the New York Department of Financial Services. Not a commitment to lend; all loans subject to credit and collateral approval. Nothing on this page is legal advice.

Bridge Loan Disclosures — AFC Mortgage Group, LLC

AFC Mortgage Group, LLC offers short-term bridge loans secured by a recorded lien on real estate (your current home, the new property, or both). These are secured real-estate loans — not unsecured personal or consumer loans.

No Prepayment Penalty & No Minimum Interest

There is no prepayment penalty and no minimum interest. Interest is charged only for the time your loan is actually outstanding — pay it off early and you only pay interest for the days you used the money.

Representative Example

A bridge loan of $250,000 with a 12-month term: interest accrues at 1% per month (12% annually) and is paid at payoff rather than monthly; a 2.5% origination fee ($6,250) plus approximately $3,250 in attorney, processing, and wire fees are charged at closing. Held the full 12 months, that equals an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of approximately 16.4% — total interest of $30,000 and total cost of credit of approximately $39,500, plus repayment of the $250,000 principal at maturity (balloon). Because there is no prepayment penalty or minimum interest, paying off earlier costs less — e.g., a payoff at 6 months accrues roughly $15,000 in interest instead of $30,000.

Most bridge loans are paid off within a few months: on the same $250,000 loan paid off at 3 months, total interest is approximately $7,500, for a total cost of credit of roughly $17,000 (the $6,250 origination and $3,250 in fees are unchanged) — less than half the full-term figure. The approximately 16.4% APR above is calculated on the required 12-month basis; your actual cost depends on how long the loan remains outstanding.

Terms at a Glance

AFC Mortgage Group, LLC — licensed mortgage lender. NMLS #2801, licensed in CT, MA, RI, NH, VT, NJ and 11 other states. Equal Housing Opportunity. Rates, terms, and fees are examples only and vary by loan size, LTV, credit, and market conditions. Not a commitment to lend; all loans subject to credit and collateral approval.