What To Do When Your Buyer Wants to Delay Closing

(Part 1 – Local Insights from the Vancouver, WA Real Estate Market)

If you're selling a home in Vancouver, Camas, Ridgefield, Battle Ground, or anywhere in Clark County, it’s not unusual for your buyer to request extra time before closing. It can feel inconvenient—especially when you’re lining up movers, escrow timelines, or coordinating with your next purchase—but take a breath.

A delayed closing doesn’t usually mean something is wrong—it often means the buyer is working through a standard hurdle.

In fact, after managing dozens of closings as both a Managing Principal Broker in Washington and Oregon, I’ve seen that extensions are a common part of today’s market, especially when the buyer is financing through mortgage lending.

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Common (and Fixable) Reasons a Buyer May Request More Time

Understanding why helps determine how to respond. Here are the most common causes:

If the goal is to close on a house, why would a buyer want to delay the process? Here are some of the most common reasons a buyer might request an extension or delay the closing date. It's essential to understand them so you can navigate through them when they do occur.

Understanding why helps determine how to respond. Here are the most common causes:

Final Mortgage Underwriting Delays

Even if a buyer is fully pre-approved, final loan approval sometimes takes longer than expected.

Underwriters may request additional documents.

Banks sometimes slow down due to loan volume.

Want to know what this looks like behind the scenes? — Bill Black Mortgage Pro explains this in his mortgage blog article on “Why Closings Get Delayed During Underwriting” (link)

Buyer Credit or Financial Changes

Maybe the buyer bought a car, opened new credit, or their cash position changed unexpectedly.

Internal Mortgage Cross-Link Suggestion:

“What NOT to Do During Loan Approval Process” – link Coming Soon from Bill’s LenderHomePage blog.

Title Search Issues

Unreleased liens, clerical errors, or ownership discrepancies must be resolved before closing.

Low or Challenged Appraisal

If you're selling in Kelso, Hazel Dell or Cascade Park (where prices are up 12–15% YoY), appraisals sometimes come in lower than the contract price.

The buyer may renegotiate. They may need to bring additional cash. Or they may appeal the appraisal.

Bill has a great blog on this: “How Low Appraisals Impact Financing in Southwest Washington” – Coming soon blog link.

The Buyer Is Waiting for Proceeds from Another Home

If they’re moving locally (Sellwood to Vancouver, Longview to Ridgefield, etc.), their sale may not yet have closed.

If an inspection reveals a major issue, such as foundation concerns or roof damage, it can trigger unexpected negotiations. Even if you and the buyer quickly agree on a solution, whether to shoulder the repair or lower the asking price, scheduling contractors or updating the loan paperwork can still take time, prompting a delay on the closing date.

Life Happens (And Real Estate Is Real Life)

Unexpected job transfers, injury, medical or family issues, or even missing documents.

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What Sellers Should Do When an Extension Request Comes In

If your buyer asks to delay or extend your closing date, here are a few things you'll want to do to plan for the delay or prepare to negotiate:

1. Evaluate the reason and ask for documentation.

Your real estate agent should communicate directly with the buyer’s agent to clarify the reason and request proof.

📎 Examples include: lender letter, title report update, or contractor scheduling timeline.

2. Get it in writing.

Get All Agreements in Writing

Timeline extensions require a written amendment to the Purchase & Sale Agreement. Do not rely on verbal assurances.

3. Plan accordingly.

Work with your broker (that’s me ) to evaluate whether:

Another mortgage or rent payment is required

You need to reschedule movers or service providers

A buyer extension fee or rent-back provision might be negotiated (we do this often in Vancouver, especially with new construction or investment properties)

Next week: In Part 2, we’ll cover how to negotiate an extension and structure terms in your favor—especially if you need compensation or protection from additional delays.

Seller Resources You May Find Helpful:

From Bill Black Mortgage Pro (cross-branded link suggestions):

“Why Closings Get Delayed in Financing”

“How to Navigate Appraisal Issues in WA & OR”

“Understanding Financing Timelines When Selling and Buying Simultaneously”
These are excellent insights from the lending side that complement your decision-making as a seller.