Understanding Hubbards

Hubbards, Explained: A Practical Guide for Today’s “Normalizing” Market (From My Own 2025 Deals)

If you’ve been in Connecticut real estate for more than five minutes, you’ve heard the term “Hubbard” tossed around—usually with a mix of hope, anxiety, and a little bit of negotiation swagger.

In plain English, a Hubbard clause is a buyer’s contingency that says:

“I’m ready to buy your home… but only if my current home sells (or at least goes under contract) by a certain date.”

It’s common in Connecticut and parts of New England, and it can be a powerful tool when used thoughtfully. It can also be a deal-killer if handled poorly.

And here’s the important modern twist: Hubbards are starting to show up more often again. After a few years of a fiercely competitive sellers’ market—where sellers could ignore contingencies and buyers had to come in ultra-clean—the market is beginning to normalize. That shift makes more room for creative, balanced terms, including Hubbards.

And speaking personally: in 2025, I had several transactions representing buyers who made successful offers with Hubbards—proof that with the right strategy, they can still win.

Let’s break down what Hubbards are, why they matter, and the real-world pros and cons for both buyers and sellers.

What Exactly Is a Hubbard Clause?

A Hubbard clause is a sale-and-settlement contingency: the buyer’s offer is conditional on selling their current home within a specified timeframe.

Typically it includes:

• A deadline by which the buyer must have their home under contract (or sold)
  
  
• Requirements around listing their property (sometimes at a certain price or within a set number of days)
  
  
• A seller “escape clause” (more on that below)
  
  
• The right for the seller to continue marketing their home

The “Kick-Out” (Escape Clause)

Many Hubbards include a provision that protects the seller:

If another offer comes in, the seller can notify the Hubbard buyer and give them a short window (often 24–72 hours) to:

• Remove the Hubbard contingency and proceed (usually by showing financing strength), or
  
  
• Walk away and let the seller accept the new offer

This is why Hubbards feel so tense sometimes: they’re not “locked in” in the same way a clean contract is.

The Buyer’s Perspective: Why Hubbards Can Be a Smart Move

✅ Buyer Plus: You Don’t Have to Carry Two Homes

The biggest advantage is obvious:

a Hubbard protects the buyer from owning two properties at once.

That reduces:

• Double mortgage risk
  
  
• Carrying costs
  
  
• The pressure to accept a low offer on their current home just to move forward

For many buyers, that’s not just “nice to have”—it’s essential.

✅ Buyer Plus: It Makes Timing Work

Buyers often need a transaction to line up:

sell → close → buy → close.

A Hubbard helps build a bridge between those timelines.

✅ Buyer Plus: In a Normalizing Market, It’s Becoming More Acceptable

In the peak sellers’ market years, Hubbards often didn’t survive multiple-offer situations. But now, with inventory patterns and buyer behavior shifting, sellers are more open to terms that are reasonable—especially when the buyer’s home is marketable and properly priced.

✅ Buyer Plus: It Can Still Win (I Saw This Personally in 2025)

This is where experience matters. In 2025, I had several buyer clients win homes with Hubbards because we didn’t treat the clause like a crutch—we treated it like a strategy.

The winning difference usually came down to:

• Strong, transparent terms
  
  
• A clear plan to list quickly
  
  
• Clean timelines
  
  
• Smart pricing and presentation on the buyer’s current home
  
  
• Strong communication with the listing side

Buyer Minuses: The Hidden Costs of a Hubbard

❌ Buyer Minus: You May Lose in a Multiple-Offer Situation

Even in a normalizing market, a seller will usually prefer:

• no contingency
  
  
• faster closing
  
  
• less uncertainty

If you’re up against multiple offers, a Hubbard can still be a disadvantage.

❌ Buyer Minus: You Might Be “Kicked Out”

If a seller gets a second offer, they may invoke the escape clause. That puts the buyer under immense pressure to either:

• secure bridge financing
  
  
• go noncontingent
  
  
• or walk away

❌ Buyer Minus: It Can Force You to Sell Faster Than You Want

A Hubbard often requires you to list quickly and accept the market reality fast. If your current home is overpriced or needs work, the contingency deadline can become stressful.

❌ Buyer Minus: Emotional Whiplash

Buyers with Hubbards often feel like they have one foot on the dock and one in the boat. You’re “in contract,” but not fully secure. It can be emotionally draining.

The Seller’s Perspective: Why Hubbards Can Be Worth Considering

✅ Seller Plus: You Open the Door to More Buyers

Many buyers must sell first. If you refuse Hubbards entirely, you may shrink your pool unnecessarily—especially in a calmer market.

✅ Seller Plus: The Buyer May Be Very Motivated

Hubbard buyers often want your home badly. That can mean:

• Strong price
  
  
• Flexible closing
  
  
• Higher earnest money
  
  
• Willingness to be cooperative on inspection requests (depending on negotiation)

✅ Seller Plus: Your Home Stays on the Market (Usually)

In many Hubbard situations, the seller can continue to market the property and entertain other offers, which reduces the “lost opportunity” fear.

✅ Seller Plus: A Good Hubbard Can Be a Strong Offer

A Hubbard doesn’t automatically equal weak. If the buyer’s home is:

• already listed
  
  
• priced correctly
  
  
• in a strong market segment
  
  
• or already under contract

…then the risk can be quite manageable.

Seller Minuses: Why Hubbards Make Sellers Nervous

❌ Seller Minus: Uncertainty

This is the core issue. The seller is taking their home off the market (at least formally) for a buyer who might not perform.

❌ Seller Minus: Time Lost Can Cost Money

Even with marketing rights, time is a factor. The longer a property feels “tied up,” the greater the risk of:

• missing other serious buyers
  
  
• increased days on market perception
  
  
• delayed plans for the seller’s next move

❌ Seller Minus: The Buyer’s Home Might Not Sell

Sometimes the Hubbard is a lifeline because the buyer’s home is overpriced, has condition issues, or is in a slower-moving segment. If that sale doesn’t happen, the seller is back to square one.

❌ Seller Minus: Your Own Move Might Be Contingent Too

If the seller is buying a home themselves, the risk multiplies. Sellers with tight timing constraints often avoid Hubbards for that reason.

When Hubbards Work Best (and When They Don’t)

Hubbards Work Best When:

• The buyer’s home is already on the market
  
  
• Pricing is realistic
  
  
• The buyer has strong financing
  
  
• Timelines are short and clear
  
  
• The seller is not under intense time pressure
  
  
• There aren’t multiple offers (or the offer is strong enough to compensate)

Hubbards Don’t Work Well When:

• The buyer’s home isn’t listed yet
  
  
• The buyer’s home is “aspirationally priced”
  
  
• The seller needs certainty (job relocation, already under contract elsewhere, etc.)
  
  
• The market is still ultra-competitive in that neighborhood or price point

Practical Tips (Based on What Worked for Me in 2025)

Since I’ve seen Hubbards succeed recently, here are a few tactics that make a difference:

For Buyers

1. Be transparent about your home sale plan.
   
   
2. List fast—don’t ask for a contingency and then drag your feet.
   
   
3. Make the rest of your offer clean (strong deposit, reasonable inspection terms).
   
   
4. Have a backup plan (bridge, cash-out refi, family loan) in case of a kick-out.
   
   
5. Price your current home strategically, not emotionally.

For Sellers

1. Require proof: pre-approval, evidence buyer’s home is listed/marketable.
   
   
2. Set firm deadlines for listing and going under contract.
   
   
3. Keep the escape clause. Always.
   
   
4. Keep marketing the home so you maintain leverage.
   
   
5. Consider “compensation”: better price, better terms, or stronger deposits to offset risk.
   

Bottom Line: Hubbards Are Becoming Relevant Again

Hubbards are not a relic—they’re a tool. And now that the market is beginning to normalize after a few years of a robust sellers’ market, we’re seeing more opportunities for balanced deals that accommodate real-life housing logistics.

From my own experience in 2025, I can say this confidently: buyers can absolutely win with Hubbards when they’re structured correctly, supported by strong financing, and paired with a realistic and fast-moving plan to sell.

They’re not for every scenario. But used well, they can create transactions that work for everyone—especially in a more rational market.

David Mayhew
Residential Realtor
H. Pearce Real Estate
18 Church Street
Guilford, CT 06437
203.533.5621 (direct & text)
dmayhew@hpearce.com