What contingencies should I consider when buying a home in Colorado Springs?

Colorado's standard purchase contract already builds in the main contingencies: inspection, HOA documents, property insurance, title, your loan, and the appraisal, each with its own deadline. In today's market, I don't recommend giving up any of them. I recommend keeping your inspection and planning on a general inspection, a radon test, and a sewer scope, plus a well or septic inspection if the home has one. A home sale contingency is also an option if you need to sell first, but the seller will weigh how much risk it adds for them.

What a contingency is in Colorado

A contingency is a condition the purchase depends on. In Colorado, most of them are written into the standard contract from the Colorado Division of Real Estate as deadlines. If something doesn't check out and you act by the deadline, you can end the contract and get your earnest money back.

Many of these rights are in the buyer's "sole subjective discretion," which means you don't have to justify your decision. You only have to act on time.

Why I don't recommend giving them up

In today's market, I don't recommend buyers give up any contingencies, deadlines, or milestones the contract gives them. They're there so you can make a fully informed decision at each step.

There's one distinction worth knowing. Some buyers make an offer stronger by agreeing not to ask the seller for small repairs. That's different from giving up the inspection itself. You might choose not to object to minor items, but I don't recommend waiving the inspection. Under the contract, once you deliver an inspection objection, your right to simply walk away under the inspection termination deadline ends and you move into a resolution process instead, so it's worth deciding your approach with your agent before you write the offer.

Which inspections to get in Colorado Springs

I recommend every buyer get an inspection, and these are the ones I'd plan on:

• A general home inspection, covering the structure, roof, systems, and visible issues.
• A radon test. Colorado's standard contract strongly recommends an indoor radon test before you buy.
• A sewer scope, a camera inspection of the line from the house to the street. Problems there are expensive and don't show up in a general inspection.
• A wood-destroying insect (termite) inspection on a VA loan. VA requires wood-destroying insect information in certain Colorado counties, including El Paso and Teller Counties.
• A well and septic inspection if the home isn't on city water and sewer, which is common in parts of El Paso County. See buying a home with a well or septic system.

What those inspections find helps decide whether you need more, such as a structural engineer, a roofer, or an HVAC contractor. That depends on the property.

Insurance and HOA deadlines matter here

Hail and wildfire risk affect insurance costs in Colorado Springs, and some homes are harder to insure than others. The Property Insurance Termination Deadline gives you time to get a real quote before you're committed. See why homeowners insurance varies so much.

Many Colorado Springs neighborhoods have an HOA, a metro district, or both. The Association Documents Termination Deadline gives you time to read the rules, budget, and reserves. See what to review before buying in an HOA.

Loan and appraisal contingencies

If you're getting a loan, the contract's loan deadlines let you end the deal if the terms aren't acceptable or the loan doesn't come through by the New Loan Availability Deadline. After that deadline, the contract says your earnest money becomes nonrefundable, with some exceptions, so a strong pre-approval helps you meet it.

The appraisal contingency protects you if the home appraises for less than the price. See what happens when a home doesn't appraise.

Home sale contingencies

It's becoming more common for buyers to need to sell their current home before buying the next one. Colorado's contract allows this with a Conditional Sale Deadline: if your home hasn't sold and closed by then, you can end the contract.

When I represent a seller, I evaluate whether the seller can afford that risk. The home may sit off the market while your sale works its way through, and if your sale falls through, the seller may have to start over. That's why it comes down to the totality of the situation. A home sale contingency is more likely to be accepted when your current home is priced well and already listed or under contract. See buying before you sell and selling and buying at the same time.

A simple way to decide

• If you're unsure about the home's condition, insurance, or HOA, it's worth keeping those contingencies and setting deadlines long enough to get real answers.
• If you want to strengthen an offer, consider shorter deadlines or not objecting to minor items, rather than giving up the inspection or a contingency.
• If you need to sell first, expect the seller to look closely at your home's price, condition, and status before agreeing.
• If the home has a well, septic system, or older sewer line, it's worth planning those inspections from the start.

What could change the answer

• In a competitive situation, a seller may favor offers with shorter deadlines, which means less time for you to decide.
• Your loan type can add requirements, such as VA's wood-destroying insect rules in certain counties.
• A home with a well, septic system, or known issues may need more inspections and more time.
• Colorado's standard contract is updated from time to time. This page reflects the version for use on or after January 1, 2026.

When to talk with a professional

Your real estate agent can explain each deadline and help you set them. A licensed home inspector, radon tester, and sewer scope provider can evaluate the home, and your lender can tell you what your loan requires. If a contract question goes beyond the standard form, a real estate attorney can help.

Sources

• Colorado Division of Real Estate, Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential), for use on or after January 1, 2026 (§§ 5.2, 6.2, 7.4, 8.7, 9.3, 10.3, 10.5, 10.7, 10.13)
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Local Requirements (Colorado wood-destroying insect counties)