Real Estate Purchase Agreement Amendment

A Real Estate Purchase Agreement Amendment allows you to change the original purchase contract.

Owners, real estate agents, and others who sell property often use this document to modify the terms of a purchase agreement.

You should attach the amendment to the original purchase agreement and all parties to the transaction must sign it.

Table of Contents

• What Is an Amendment to a Purchase Agreement?
• When Do You Use a Real Estate Purchase Agreement Amendment?
• Why Use a Purchase Agreement Amendment?
• How To Write a Real Estate Amendment to a Purchase Agreement
• Real Estate Purchase Agreement Amendment Sample
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Is an Amendment to a Purchase Agreement?

A real estate amendment to a purchase agreement is a legal document that alters the original purchase agreement in some way. It often addresses situations involving unexpected changes or serves to correct errors in the original contract.

The amendment is a legally binding document when created and signed correctly.

An amendment to a purchase and sale agreement is common in real estate. You cannot predict everything that might occur in a real estate transaction, so an amendment is an effective tool to deal with changes.

When Do You Use a Real Estate Purchase Agreement Amendment?

Many situations may call for a real estate purchase agreement amendment. Here are some examples:

• A home inspection reveals potential issues with the property that must be remedied
• The closing date has to be changed
• Title issues come up
• Errors in the original real estate purchase agreement need correction
• The property cost changes as a result of an appraisal
• The down payment or lender information was originally incorrect
• Changes to a person’s estate plan affect the purchase

These situations and countless others make an amendment a pivotal document to help move the real estate purchase forward. 

Why Use a Purchase Agreement Amendment?

It is essential to put a purchase agreement amendment in writing. In most situations, any changes to the original contract must be in writing to be enforceable.

Relying on an oral promise is risky and may not be enforceable. 

An amendment is also helpful to avoid creating a brand-new agreement. Renegotiating and redrafting a contract to make a few changes is impractical and expensive.

A simple amendment to a purchase agreement can help you instead.

How To Write a Real Estate Amendment to a Purchase Agreement

You can create a real estate amendment to a purchase agreement by following these simple steps. Always include the critical information below and anything else you need for your particular deal.

1. Determine Amendment’s Effective Date

Your document should address when the agreement is effective.

Many agreements are effective on the date they are signed, others are retroactive and begin on a date earlier than the date the amendment is signed and the rest become effective on a later date after the amendment is signed.

2. Identify Parties and Property

The real estate purchase amendment must identify the relevant parties who will sign the agreement and the purchased property.

It should include at least the following information:

• The full name of all parties (typically the buyer and seller)
• Addresses and other essential contact details
• Any official titles for entity representatives
• Address of the property 

3. Incorporate with Original Purchase Agreement

The amendment should reference the original contract and state the date of the original purchase agreement. 

4. Outline Terms of Amendment

There should be a section dedicated to the terms of the amendment itself. These should clearly detail the changes you want to make to the original agreement.

In addition, you should include which provisions are altered by the amendment to make the changes easier to understand. 

Be specific with your wording. Too many people use informal language or incomplete sentences that may be unenforceable.

Remember, this amendment is also legally binding, so treat it with the same level of detail as the original contract.

5. Preserve Language of Original Real Estate Purchase Agreement

The amendment should include a provision that preserves any unaltered language in the original contract.

For example, it could say, “Except as outlined in this amendment, all other terms and conditions of the purchase agreement remain unchanged and shall continue in full force and effect.”

This makes it clear to the reader — or a court — that the rest of the original contract is unchanged and still enforceable between the parties.

6. Collect Necessary Signatures

Many people ask: “Do contract amendments need to be signed?” The answer is yes. Just because the original agreement is signed does not make the amendment enforceable without new signatures.

The amendment should include: 

• Each party’s full and legal name
• A signature for each party
• If applicable, the representative’s position or title 

An amendment to a purchase agreement template can help you create your document. You can make necessary changes customized to your unique needs.

Legal Templates’ step-by-step builder can even walk you through the process of customizing your amendment.

Real Estate Purchase Agreement Amendment Sample

Below is an example of what a real estate purchase agreement amendment looks like.

Frequently Asked Questions