What Happens After You Accept an Offer? A Step-by-Step Timeline

Getting an offer accepted feels like the finish line. It isn't.

The 30 days between an accepted offer and the keys being placed in your hand are some of the most active, deadline-driven days in the entire buying process. Miss a contingency window and you risk losing your deposit. Skip a step and you can lose the deal. Show up to closing without reviewing your documents and you may sign something you don't fully understand.

To prevent this, we walk every buyer through the timeline before escrow opens—not after. Here's what that looks like.

What Happens on the Day Your Offer on a Home Is Accepted?

The moment a seller accepts your offer, the clock starts ticking. As a result:

• Your agent notifies your lender and sends over the purchase agreement.

• Every contingency deadline in your contract starts ticking from this point.

• And you'll need to get your earnest money deposit into escrow—typically within 3 business days in California.

   

“Earnest money” is a good-faith deposit that gets credited back to you at closing—not a fee. That said, if you cancel a sale outside your contingency periods without a valid reason, you can lose it. Knowing when those windows open and close is one of the most important things to stay on top of throughout escrow.

What Is Escrow, and Who Manages It?

Escrow is the period between your accepted offer and the actual close of the sale. A neutral third party—the escrow company—holds the funds, handles the paperwork, and makes sure both sides do what they're supposed to before ownership changes.

In Southern California, title and escrow are handled by two separate companies. Your escrow officer handles the financial side of the transaction and files necessary documents. Your title company verifies the seller owns the property free and clear, then issues title insurance to protect you after closing.

You typically don't pick these companies yourself. Which companies are used is a negotiable term in the contract. In practice, sellers typically choose both title and escrow, and agents on either side may recommend companies they trust. But you'll be in contact with both throughout the process.

What Happens During the First Week of Escrow?

The first week of escrow moves fast. A lot needs to happen at once.

Your lender starts processing your loan right away, and will ask for documents just as quickly. That includes pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, and anything else the underwriter needs. Respond fast. Slow responses from buyers are one of the most common reasons escrow gets extended.

Inspections also happen in the first week. In California, the typical ones are:

• A general home inspection, ordered and paid for by the buyer 

• A  termite and pest inspection, with costs negotiable between buyer and seller

• Any follow-up inspections the general inspector recommends, like roof, sewer scope, or HVAC

   

You're not required to be there for the inspection, but we always recommend it. Walking the property with the inspector gives you context that a written report can't.

Inspection fees are paid upfront and are non-refundable if the deal falls through. The same applies to the appraisal. These costs are worth factoring in—but they're also essential. Finding a problem early is far better than finding it after closing.

What Happens During the Seller Disclosure Review Period?

California requires sellers to hand over a package of disclosures—usually within the first 7 days of escrow. This is when you find out the most about the property, and it's the period where you still have the most flexibility to act on what you learn.

Disclosures typically include:

• The Transfer Disclosure Statement, where the seller describes the property's condition and any known issues

• The Natural Hazard Disclosure, covering things like flood zones, fire hazard areas, and earthquake fault zones

• HOA documents, if the community has one—including bylaws, financials, rules, and the reserve study

• The Preliminary Title Report, which shows ownership history and anything that could affect your title, like liens

Read all of it. The HOA financials deserve particular attention. They'll tell you whether the association has money saved up for repairs, or whether owners are likely to get hit with a special assessment. We go through all of these with our clients and flag anything worth a closer look.

What Is the Inspection Contingency, and How Does It Work?

The inspection contingency is your safety valve. It gives you the right to review inspection reports and then decide: accept the property as-is, ask the seller for repairs or a credit, or walk away and get your deposit back—as long as you're still within the contingency period.

In California, the standard window is 17 days from acceptance, though it's negotiable. Once that period ends and you've removed the contingency in writing, you're agreeing to buy the property in whatever condition it's in.

Before that deadline, you can send the seller a Request for Repairs. They can agree, say no, offer a credit instead, or counter. If you can't reach a resolution and you're still within the window, you can cancel.

This is also when buyers sometimes feel pressure to remove contingencies early to look like a stronger offer. We push back on that. Don't remove a contingency until you have what you need to feel good about the decision.

What Is the Appraisal, and What Happens If It Comes In Low?

Your lender orders an appraisal—usually in the first week—to confirm the home is worth what you agreed to pay. The fee is paid by the buyer upfront and is non-refundable if the deal falls through. Lenders require it because the home is what secures the loan.

If the appraisal comes in, at or above the purchase price, everything keeps moving. If it comes in below, a few things could happen:

• The seller may reduce the price to the appraised value

• You could pay the full difference in cash

• The parties could split the difference, with the seller reducing the price partway and you covering the rest in cash

• You can challenge the appraisal by submitting comparable sales data (though this rarely changes the outcome)

• You can cancel the contract under your appraisal contingency and get your deposit back 

Low appraisals happen more often when prices are rising fast and offer prices outrun what appraisers can support.

At J&J, we've been through it enough times to know how to approach the conversation with sellers—and when it's worth challenging the appraisal.

What Happens During Loan Underwriting?

Once your documents are in, your file goes to the underwriter. They look at the full picture—your income, assets, credit, employment, and the property—and decide whether to approve the loan, approve it with conditions, or decline it.

Conditional approvals are normal and nothing to panic about. The underwriter might ask you to write a letter explaining a deposit in your bank account, get more documentation from your employer, or clarify something on your tax returns. Answer everything quickly and completely. If your lender did a fully underwritten pre-approval before you made your offer, most conditions will already be cleared once the appraisal comes back—which can make the final stretch of escrow much smoother.

Here's the rule that trips people up most: don't make any major financial moves during escrow. No new credit cards, no big purchases, no job changes, and no moving large sums of money around without checking with your lender first. Any of those can send your file back to underwriting and put your closing at risk.

What Is a Loan Contingency on a Home, and When Does It Get Removed?

The loan contingency is your protection if your financing falls apart. While it's in place, you can back out and get your deposit back if the lender can't approve your loan.

In California, the default loan contingency period on the CA Residential Purchase Agreement is 17 days from acceptance, though lenders are moving faster. 12–14 days is increasingly common. Some lenders can work within 10 days, particularly when the buyer came in with a fully underwritten pre-approval.

Once you remove the contingency in writing, you're committed to closing no matter what happens—so don't remove it before your loan is fully approved.

The right realtor will track this deadline carefully, and won't recommend removing it until they’ve heard from the lender that the loan is approved and ready to go.

What Happens in the Final Week Before Closing?

The last week is about wrapping up before it all converges on closing day.

Any repairs that the seller agreed to do prior to closing should be done by now, and you're entitled to receipts that prove the work was completed. Your lender sends final loan documents for signing—usually with a notary, either at the escrow office or wherever is convenient for you. And at least three business days before closing, your lender is required to send you a Closing Disclosure, which spells out every fee, cost, and loan term.

Read the Closing Disclosure carefully. Compare it to the Loan Estimate you got at the beginning and ask your lender to explain anything that's changed or doesn't look right.

What Should You Look for at the Final Home Walkthrough?

The final walkthrough happens prior to closing—typically within the 24–48 hours before, depending on availability and seller approval. Ideally it takes place after the seller has moved out, but tight timelines don't always allow for that.

This is not another chance to negotiate—that window is closed. It's a check to confirm the home is in the same condition it was when you made your offer and that the seller has done everything they agreed to.

Go through every room. Test the faucets, run the appliances, and make sure fixtures and anything else included in the sale are still there. Confirm the repairs were done and that the sellers have cleared out their belongings. If something is off, tell your agent right away—there's still a small window to address real issues before the deed records, but only if you catch it in time.

What Happens on a Home’s Closing Day?

In California, closing day is mostly a behind-the-scenes process. The deed records with the county, funds are transferred, and ownership changes hands. You usually don't go anywhere—most of the signing is done beforehand with a notary.

When the deed records, your agent will let you know and get you the keys.

The house is yours.

A few things to sort out before closing day: get utilities transferred into your name, make sure your homeowner's insurance is active, and don't book movers for closing day itself. If there's any recording delay—which happens occasionally—you'll want some breathing room in your schedule.

If you're heading into escrow and want someone who knows every step and picks up the phone, we'd be glad to talk through where you are in the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does escrow take in California?

Usually 30 days, though 21 and 45 days are also common depending on what you negotiated in the contract. Cash deals can move faster. Lender delays are the most common reason escrow gets pushed, and HOA delays are also fairly common.

What happens if the seller of a home can't close on time?

Either side can request an extension by mutual agreement. If the seller is the reason for the delay, there may be remedies in the contract. Your agent and escrow officer handle the coordination if it comes up.

Can I back out of buying a home after removing my contingencies?

You can, but you'll almost certainly lose your earnest money deposit. The contingency periods are the windows where you can exit without penalty. Once they're removed, backing out puts your deposit at risk.

What is a "notice to perform"?

If a buyer misses a contingency deadline, the seller can send a Notice to Perform—basically a 48-hour warning to take the required action or the seller can cancel the contract. Deadlines in escrow are real.

Do I need to show up for anything during escrow?

You'll need to be reachable by phone or email to respond to lender requests and sign things as they come in. The inspection is worth attending in person. Loan document signing is the one time you'll typically meet with a notary, and that can usually be arranged wherever works for you.