The Florida AS IS contract is the form behind most home sales in Palm Beach County today, and its inspection period is where deals are won, renegotiated or lost. If you are buying or selling here in 2026, understanding how that window works, and what it does not do, is the difference between a smooth closing and an expensive surprise. Here is the plain-English version we walk our clients through before they sign.
What the Florida AS IS contract actually says
The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar "AS IS" Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase is one of three standard residential forms used across the state. "As is" means the seller is not obligated to make repairs or give repair credits. It does not mean the buyer is stuck with whatever the inspector finds. Paragraph 12 gives the buyer an inspection period during which the buyer may cancel in the buyer's "sole discretion" and have the deposit returned, as Florida Realtors' contract guidance explains. That single paragraph is what makes the form both seller-friendly and buyer-safe.
How the inspection period is counted
Time under the AS IS contract runs in calendar days, so weekends count. If the parties leave the blank empty, the default inspection period is 15 days from the effective date, which is the day the last party signs and delivers the contract. In a competitive situation buyers routinely offer 7 to 10 days instead. One built-in protection: if a deadline lands on a Saturday, Sunday or national legal holiday, it extends to the next business day. Count the days carefully and put the exact end date in writing so nobody is guessing at 4:55 PM on the last day.
What buyers should do inside the window
Book the general home inspection the day the contract is signed. Order the wind mitigation and four-point reports at the same time, because insurance quotes in Palm Beach County depend on them and a bad quote is a legitimate reason to walk. Pull the property's permit history, read the HOA or condo documents, and get your insurance and lender numbers lined up. Then make one of three decisions before the deadline: proceed, ask the seller for a price reduction or credit, or cancel in writing. Silence means you are proceeding. If you are early in the process, our buying a home page covers what comes before the contract.
What sellers should expect
AS IS does not stop buyers from asking. Expect a repair or credit request after the inspection, and know that you can say no. The real risk is a cancellation that puts the home back on the market with days-on-market attached, so the best defense is preparation: disclose known defects, close open permits, fix the items an inspector will flag in the first ten minutes, and price to condition. We build this into every listing plan, which is a big part of why sellers list with us.
What the inspection period does not cover
The inspection window is separate from the financing contingency, which has its own deadline in the contract. And the standard form has no appraisal contingency built in. If the buyer wants the right to cancel because the home does not appraise, that requires Comprehensive Rider F. Talk through both with your agent and lender before the offer goes in; our financing page is a good starting point.
A local note for Palm Beach County
Older roofs, aging electrical panels and past water intrusion are the three items that most often turn an inspection period into a renegotiation from Jupiter down to Boca Raton. Condo buyers should also use the window to review reserves and any pending special assessments. If you want a sense of what inspectors flag by neighborhood, start with our Palm Beach County area guide.
Buying or selling in Palm Beach County? Call the John Diaz Group at 844-456-4647 for a free home valuation and a walk-through of the contract before you sign. Hablamos español.
