Attorney review is a five-business-day period after your offer is accepted when each side’s attorney can approve, disapprove or propose changes to the contract. It is part of the Multi-Board Residential Real Estate Contract 8.0, the form used in most Chicago-area home sales. If neither attorney acts within five business days, the review is waived and the contract stands as written.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026 · Chicago First Time Home Buyer editorial team
At a glance
| Contract | Multi-Board Residential Real Estate Contract 8.0 |
| Length | Five business days |
| Starts | The day after the Date of Acceptance |
| If no one acts | Review is waived; the contract stands as written |
| If changes are proposed and not agreed | Either party may end the contract after 10 business days |
| Inspection notice period | Five business days, running separately under the inspection paragraph |
What an attorney can do during review
- Approve the contract as written.
- Disapprove the contract, which ends it. Disapproval cannot be based on the price alone.
- Propose modifications under Paragraph 13(c). These count as a counteroffer. If the parties do not agree within 10 business days, either side may end the contract.
- Make proposals under Paragraph 13(d). These are not counteroffers. If the other side rejects them, the contract continues and neither side gains a right to end it.
Common questions
Can the seller back out during attorney review?
The seller’s attorney can disapprove the contract within the five business days, though not on price alone.
Is attorney review the same as the inspection period?
No. They run under separate paragraphs of the contract. Both give five business days, and both allow a party to end the contract if repairs or changes cannot be agreed within 10 business days.
Attorney review is one stage of the 7 steps to buying a home in Chicago. For what you will pay at closing, see what it costs to buy a home in Chicago, including the Chicago real estate transfer tax.
Sources
- Multi-Board 8.0 contract guide, attorney review and inspection
- Multi-Board Residential Real Estate Contract 8.0, Paragraphs 13 and 15
This page is general information, not legal advice. Ask your attorney about your contract.