Home sale contingency in prime selling season
First time home seller here. We recently listed our home for sale in a very seasonal tourist town. We have been in our new home for a few months, but waited to list because there is very little activity outside of the summer months and we didn't want the house to sit on the market. Most buyers here do not have home sale contingencies attached, as they are either cash offers or second homes. We are looking at an offer that does have a sale contingency, but I am nervous about it not working out and consequently losing out on peak selling season. If it falls through and we have been off the market for several weeks, we very well could be out of luck and have to wait until next summer to get it sold.
Is it reasonable to ask for a larger earnest money deposit in order to take this risk and be faced with another year of costs? If so, what amount might be considered reasonable? Might be some other options in this situation?
Thanks for any ideas/info!