What Every Homebuyer Needs to Know Before Signing a Contract When buying a home, one of the most important protections for a buyer is the bank appraisal contingency . This clause safeguards you if the home’s appraised value comes in lower than the agreed-upon contract price. Why does this matter? Because lenders base the loan amount on the lower of the contract price or the appraised value not the higher number. What Is a Bank Appraisal Contingency? A