Life happens! And *sometimes* builders are sympathetic. It really depends on the market and the house itself. If it is a seller’s market and there is a lot of demand for the home, the builder may give you the deposit back and sell to the next buyer. However, more often than not, the builder will keep the deposit, or a large portion of the deposit, and let you out of the contract. This is another good reason to have a Realtor on your side. Things happen. If your Realtor has a good relationship with the builder, they will try to get your full deposit back if possible.