The Inspection Period Deadline — and What It Triggers
The end of the inspection period is one of the most significant moments in the transaction. It's the formal close of your due diligence window — the point at which you're making an affirmative decision to proceed with full knowledge of what you've learned. Understanding exactly what this deadline means helps you approach it with the deliberateness it deserves.
Once the inspection period closes, canceling the transaction becomes substantially harder. Your deposit faces greater risk, your leverage for further negotiation narrows significantly, and your contractual pathways to exit without financial consequence shrink considerably. This is a meaningful commitment — proceed with confidence, not momentum.
What Happens When You Decide to Move Forward
Two things occur in close sequence once you're past the inspection period:
- 1Additional earnest money deposit — You wire a second deposit to escrow — typically around one percent of the purchase price — reinforcing your commitment to the seller. Like the initial deposit, this is applied toward your final closing costs.
- 2Appraisal order — With concession negotiations resolved, your lender is now instructed to order the appraisal. The sequencing matters: appraisals cost $500–$650 and are non-refundable. Waiting until negotiations are complete protects you from paying for an appraisal on a transaction you're still evaluating.
Before the deadline passes, make sure your due diligence is genuinely complete — not just started. All inspections finished, all documents reviewed, all follow-up questions answered, all negotiations concluded. If you feel rushed or uncertain about anything, talk to your Realtor before the deadline arrives. A short extension is almost always preferable to crossing this threshold before you're ready.