If you decide to move forward with the negotiation, a purchase offer is usually signed, a pre-printed form or a document prepared by the real estate agency. If the seller accepts the offer, they sign it for approval, and their acceptance is then communicated to the buyer. At that point, the first stage of the purchase, the preliminary agreement, is complete. Once the seller accepts, it becomes a true preliminary contract: it binds both parties, and no changes can be made without mutual consent.
If you want to secure the property before another buyer steps in, but you haven’t yet verified everything such as occupancy certification, planning compliance, or other technical aspects of the property, you can protect yourself by adding a suspensive condition.
In practice, the sale becomes valid only if the checks are successfully completed within a set timeframe. If something doesn’t check out, the commitment automatically lapses with no penalties.
At this stage, the real estate agent plays a key role: they help you include the right clauses, ensure you have time to carry out all the necessary checks calmly, and, if everything is in order, make sure the purchase proceeds smoothly and safely.
A single sentence in the contract can make the difference between a secure purchase and a costly mistake.
