Home sales get hung up for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, a buyer can't secure approval for a loan, or a seller won't make repairs the buyer insists are necessary. Appraisal issues often result in delays or failed deals. So do complexities arising from short sales.
These problems are commonplace, judging by a National Association of Realtors survey that found 33 percent of Realtors had experienced one or more contract failures in October 2011. That figure was up from 8 percent a year earlier.
These problems can be stressful and, granted, some sales are doomed never to close. But others can be saved with a little creativity and a lot of patience. Here's how.