Amendment
An amendment is a formal change to your existing purchase agreement — it modifies terms that both you and the seller already agreed to.
Things change during a real estate deal. The inspection reveals issues, the appraisal comes in low, your lender needs more time, or the seller can’t move out by the original date. Amendments let you adjust the contract without starting over.
Every amendment requires both buyer and seller signatures. One side can’t change the deal unilaterally.
Common Amendments
- Price reduction: After inspection or low appraisal
- Closing date extension: Lender needs more time to process
- Repair credits: Seller agrees to credit $5,000 instead of making repairs
- Contingency deadline extension: More time for an inspection or financing
- Earnest money adjustments: Changing the deposit amount
On a $350K home, an amendment reducing the price by $8,000 after an inspection is one of the most common changes. It’s straightforward: both parties sign a one-page document and the contract continues with the new price.
Watch out for: Agreeing to amendments under pressure. If the seller’s agent pushes a last-minute amendment — especially one that removes your protections or shortens your timelines — take time to review it. You don’t have to sign immediately. Your buyer’s agent should explain exactly what’s changing and how it affects you.
Amendment vs. Addendum
Amendments change existing terms. Addenda add new terms. Pushing the closing date back is an amendment. Adding a rent-back agreement that didn’t exist before is an addendum. The practical process is the same — draft the document, both sides sign, and it becomes part of the contract.
How many amendments are normal?
One or two amendments are common — usually for price adjustments after inspection or closing date changes. More than three or four amendments might signal that the deal has fundamental problems. If you’re amending the contract constantly, step back and assess whether both parties are still on the same page. Use our closing cost calculator to understand how price or credit changes affect your bottom line, and check our glossary for related contract terms.