What is an inspection contingency
and when does the window close?

An inspection contingency is a clause in the contract that gives the buyer a set window to have the home examined, and then to do one of three things: accept the property as it is, go back to the seller for repairs or a credit, or cancel. It is written into the agreement, so the length of the window is part of what the two sides agree to rather than a fixed number every deal shares.

In New Jersey the window typically opens once attorney review has ended, so a buyer who waits until then to start calling inspectors has already spent part of the window on scheduling.

The inspection itself is a licensed inspector's visual examination of the structure and the systems: roof, foundation, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical. The report is not a repair order and it is not a valuation. It is a description of condition, and it becomes the basis of the next conversation. That conversation is about a short list of real items, and it ends in a credit at closing or an agreement on who fixes what before the day.

For a seller, the same window is when the deal is most likely to move. A buyer with a report in hand may ask for something, and the answer is negotiable in both directions. Knowing what an inspector is likely to find on your own home, before it is under contract, lets a seller plan for that window.

What to ask, before the window opens: how many days does the contingency run and what date does it end; when can the inspector actually get there; and what happens if the report turns up something significant. Your agent can walk you through how the process runs and what usually comes next. What your own contract says, and what a particular clause means for you, is a question for a licensed New Jersey attorney.