Estimated cost of a dead deal
$41,700
on a typical $315,000 home with a mortgage · $36,800 if it's paid off
Plus about $3,300 on average in repairs or credits to the buyer — about $45,000 all in (how we got that)
- Contracts that fell apart
- 33%about 1 in 3 · 21 of 63
- Extra days on the market
- 97150 vs. 53 on the first contract
- Lower sale price
- 10.8%83.9% vs. 94.7% of first asking
- Never sold at all
- 50%of the homes whose deal died
When a deal dies on a home listed $300K–$400K in Columbus County, it costs the seller about $41,700
21 of about 63 contracts for homes listed $300K–$400K in Columbus County fell apart over the last 12 months — about 1 in 3. The ones that sold later took 97 more days and sold for 10.8% less (measured against their first asking price) than homes that closed on the first contract. And 50% of the homes whose deal died never sold at all.
- Holding costs run about $80 a day on a typical $315,000 home — 97 extra days is about $7,720.
- The price scar alone is about $34,000 on a $315,000 home.
- 48% came back on the market at a lower price (a median 14.1% below the first price).
- Most resale deals die over the home inspection, the appraisal or the buyer's loan. A pre-market inspection finds the big items before a buyer does.
- Even when a deal survives, repairs found during due diligence cost more: they're done on the buyer's deadline, often by the buyer's choice of contractors, or traded for a credit the buyer never spends on repairs. None of that shows up in the MLS, so it isn't in the dollar figure above.
What would it cost you?
Put in your own numbers. Leave the loan at 0 if your home is paid off.
$45,000
97 extra days at about $80 a day = $7,715 in holding costs, plus $34,020 from a 10.8% lower price, plus $3,300 in repairs or credits.
An estimate, not a quote. Uses this area's extra days and price scar; interest only on the mortgage; taxes scaled from the area's median bill; insurance $250/month, upkeep 1% of value a year, utilities $250/month.
The hidden cost: repairs on the buyer's clock
Even when a deal holds together, the buyer's inspection usually costs the seller money. The MLS doesn't record it, so it isn't in our local numbers — but national surveys show how common and how big it is:
- 86% of inspections find something to fix, and 46% of buyers used the report to negotiate the price down (Porch survey of 998 buyers).
- When sellers give one, the median is $7,200 (Clever Real Estate seller survey).
- Sellers gave concessions in about 46% of U.S. home sales this spring — repairs, closing costs and rate buydowns, a record for the season (Redfin).
Averaged across all sellers, that's about $3,300 — roughly half give a concession, and the median is $7,200 when they do. Some sellers pay nothing; a home that needs real work can pay far more. We add the $3,300 average to the dead-deal cost as a separate line rather than assume the worst.
And the money goes further against you once you're under contract:
- You're on their deadline. Repairs have to be done before closing, so there's no time to shop around or wait for a better price.
- You use their people. Buyers often want their own plumbers, electricians and contractors — at their price, for work you might have done yourself or had your own handyman do for less.
- Credits instead of repairs. Many buyers ask for money off the price or toward closing costs and never make the repairs. The inspection becomes leverage against you.
Inspect before you list, and you handle the big items your way — on your schedule, with your own people, at your price — or disclose them up front so there's nothing left to negotiate.
The $3,300 is an estimate that combines two national sources (Redfin's share of sales with a concession and Clever Real Estate's median concession); it isn't measured locally. No study we found measures how much more the same repair costs under contract than before listing, so we don't put a number on that part.
Take the surprise off the table
Most resale deals die over the inspection, the appraisal or the loan. A pre-market inspection finds the big items before a buyer does — so there's nothing left to renegotiate or walk away over. It's part of our home selling system.
What happened next
- Sold later 29% — after 150 days in all, for 83.9% of the first price
- Still trying 43% — back on the market or under contract again
- Never sold 29% — expired, canceled or withdrawn
Homes that sold on their first contract took 53 days and sold for 94.7% of their first price. 48% of the homes that came back on the market cut their price.
By age of the home
Older homes give inspectors more to find.
Crawl space vs. no crawl space
Moisture, wood rot and insect damage under the house are common inspection findings on the coast.
| Contracts | Fell apart | Extra days | Price scar | Est. cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawl space | 269 | 31% | 85 | 4.0% | $13,600 |
| No crawl space | 27 | 19% | — | — | — |
Homes behind the numbers
Back on the market
Their contract fell apart; they're for sale again.
- 10762 James B. White Hwy S., WhitevilleBack on the market · $325,000 · fell apart Oct 15, 2026
- 907 Smyrna Drive, WhitevilleBack on the market · $225,000 · fell apart Dec 2, 2025
Under contract again
Second try under way.
- 55 Wyche Mews, HallsboroUnder contract again · $349,000 · fell apart Sep 29, 2026
- 33 Gapway Road, Fair BluffUnder contract again · $259,500 · fell apart Jun 1, 2026
- 114 Church Road, RiegelwoodUnder contract again · $273,000 · fell apart May 28, 2026
Sold after a deal fell apart
It closed — on a later contract.
- 347 Stewart Circle, WhitevilleSold · $355,000 · fell apart Jun 12, 2026
- 1341 Cedar Grove Church Road, Cerro GordoSold · $417,500 · fell apart Mar 9, 2026
- 3984 Pocosin Road, Lake WaccamawSold · $240,000 · fell apart Mar 1, 2026
- 609 Lake Side Drive, RiegelwoodSold · $325,000 · fell apart Jan 14, 2026
- 3281 Richard Wright Road, Tabor CitySold · $225,000 · fell apart Dec 15, 2025
- 1220 Spivey Road, WhitevilleSold · $342,000 · fell apart Oct 26, 2025
Most recent first. Homes that were withdrawn, expired or canceled are counted in the numbers but not listed here.
Questions sellers ask
How often do home sale contracts fall apart in Columbus County?
21 of about 63 contracts for homes listed $300K–$400K in Columbus County fell apart over the last 12 months — about 1 in 3.
What does a failed contract cost a seller in Columbus County?
About $41,700 on a typical $315,000 home — 97 extra days of holding costs (about $80 a day with a mortgage) plus a 10.8% lower sale price. With no mortgage it's about $36,800. That's before any repairs or credits negotiated along the way.
Why do home sale contracts fall apart?
The MLS doesn't record the reason. In our experience the most common are home inspection findings (roof, HVAC, moisture and crawl space, wood-destroying insects, electrical and plumbing), appraisals below the price, and buyer financing. In North Carolina a buyer can walk away for any reason during the due diligence period.
Why do repairs during a contract cost sellers more?
Once you're under contract, repairs run on the buyer's clock. You often end up paying the plumbers, electricians and contractors the buyer prefers, at their price and their schedule, for work you might have done yourself or had your own handyman do for less. Many buyers ask for a credit off the price or toward closing costs instead, then never make the repairs — so the inspection gets used as leverage against the seller. Nationally, 86% of inspections find something to fix and 46% of buyers use the report to negotiate the price down (Porch survey of 998 buyers), sellers gave concessions in about 46% of U.S. home sales in spring 2026 (Redfin), and the median is $7,200 when they do (Clever Real Estate seller survey). Averaged across all sellers that's about $3,300 — some pay nothing, and a home that needs real work can pay far more.
How can a seller keep a deal from falling apart?
Have the home inspected before it goes on the market, then fix or disclose the big items up front. Buyers can't use a surprise to renegotiate or walk away when there's no surprise left. A pre-market inspection is part of the Buddy Blake Team's home selling system.
Resale homes only — new construction and land are left out. A deal "fell apart" when a home went under contract and then came back on the market, or was canceled, withdrawn or expired after a contract was written, however long the contract lasted. Extra days and the price scar compare homes that sold after a deal fell apart with homes that sold on their first contract in the same area and slice. The MLS doesn't record why a contract ended. Source: Hive MLS data compiled by the Buddy Blake Team, updated October 26, 2026.