California guide

Buying a home in California: the forms, the timeline, the questions to ask

Q: How long do I have to inspect the house?

The default in the RPA-CA is 17 days from acceptance for inspections, title review, and appraisal. You can negotiate a longer or shorter window before you sign, but once you sign, that's your clock. Use the time — line up inspectors as soon as the offer is accepted.

Q: What happens if I miss a deadline in the contract?

Missing a deadline in the RPA-CA doesn't automatically kill the deal or your protections — California uses active contingency removal. But the other party can deliver a 2-day Notice to Perform, and if you still don't act within those two days, they get the right to cancel and potentially keep part of your deposit. Don't let deadlines drift quietly.

Q: Should I initial the arbitration clause?

Initialing arbitration in the RPA-CA is your choice — it's an opt-in, not a default. Arbitration tends to be faster and private, but you give up your right to a jury trial and your right to appeal. Talk it through before signing, especially on a big purchase; you can't change your mind later.

Q: Who pays my agent under the new RPA-CA?

After the 2024 commission settlement, the RPA-CA has explicit paragraphs about how the seller will (or won't) pay your buyer's agent. Sometimes the seller covers it, sometimes you do, and sometimes it's split. Read those paragraphs line by line before signing — they affect your cash to close.

Q: Can I ask for more time on the inspection or loan window?

Yes, and you should if you need it. Every deadline in the RPA-CA is negotiable before signing, and even after signing you can ask for a written extension. The cleanest move is to build realistic timelines into your offer up front so you're not scrambling for an extension at day 16.

What every California buyer should know about the contract, disclosures, and the dual-agency question.

TL;DR

The is the standard purchase contract used in almost every California home sale, even though no law requires it. When you sign it, you're agreeing to a packed timeline of deadlines for inspections, your loan, and the appraisal, plus rules about how to back out and how disputes get handled. Knowing how this one document works is the difference between protecting your deposit and accidentally losing it.

Before you start — 10 things to know

The is California's go-to home purchase contract, written by the California Association of Realtors. It's not required by law, but almost every California home sale uses it, so the offer you sign will almost certainly be this form.
You get 17 days from acceptance to inspect the home under the standard . During that window you can hire inspectors, walk through with contractors, and decide if the house is actually in the shape you thought.
Your loan contingency in the runs 21 days by default, and your appraisal contingency runs 17 days. These windows protect your deposit if your lender backs out or the home appraises low — but only while the contingencies are still active.
California uses active contingency removal, meaning you have to sign a separate Contingency Removal form to release each protection. Just letting the deadline pass does not remove the contingency — silence is not a yes here.
If you back out of the deal after removing your contingencies, the seller's damages from your deposit are capped at 3% of the purchase price — but only if the home is 1–4 units and will be your primary residence, and only if you initialed the liquidated damages box in the .
Forgetting to initial the liquidated damages clause in the removes the 3% cap on what the seller can keep if you default. Always check that small initial line — it's one of the highest-dollar boxes in the contract.
The requires mediation before either side can sue, and lets you opt into binding arbitration by initialing a separate box. Arbitration is faster and private but waives your right to a jury trial, so don't initial it automatically without thinking.
If the other side misses a deadline, you can't just cancel the deal — you have to first deliver a 2-day Notice to Perform under paragraph 14 of the . Only after those two days run out does your right to cancel actually open up.
After the 2024 commission settlement, the now includes paragraphs that spell out whether and how much the seller will pay your buyer's agent. Read those lines carefully — they directly affect what comes out of your pocket at closing.
Every deadline in the is negotiable before you sign. If you need a longer inspection window because contractors are booked, or a longer loan window because your lender is slow, ask for it inside the offer rather than scrambling later.

The timeline — step by step

Day 0 — Acceptance. Both you and the seller have signed the and the contract is in effect. Every deadline in the contract counts from this day.
Day 3 — Earnest money deposit. You wire your good-faith deposit to escrow within three business days of acceptance under the standard terms.
Days 1–17 — Inspection window. You hire inspectors, review the seller's disclosures, and check the title report. This is when you find out whether the house is really what it looked like on the tour.
Day 17 — Inspection, appraisal, and title contingencies expire. To keep them alive past this date you need a written extension; to release them you sign a Contingency Removal form. Doing nothing keeps the contingencies in place, but the seller can then send a 2-day Notice to Perform.
Day 21 — Loan contingency expires. By now your lender should have your file fully approved. Removing this contingency means if your loan falls through later, your deposit is on the line.
Notice to Perform window. If you or the seller misses a deadline, the other side can deliver a 2-day Notice to Perform under paragraph 14 of the . The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when the original deadline was missed.
Final walk-through — usually within 5 days before closing. You walk the home one last time to confirm it's in the condition promised in the and that any agreed-on repairs were finished.
Close of escrow. Funds and the signed deed are recorded, the keys are released, and the deal is officially done. Most California transactions close around day 30, but the exact date is whatever you wrote into the contract.

Common questions

Do I have to use the RPA-CA form to buy a house in California?

No, California law does not force you to use any specific contract. But the is what nearly every agent, escrow company, and lender in the state is used to working with, so straying from it usually slows things down and confuses the other side. In practice, expect to sign it.

How long do I have to inspect the house?

The default in the is 17 days from acceptance for inspections, title review, and appraisal. You can negotiate a longer or shorter window before you sign, but once you sign, that's your clock. Use the time — line up inspectors as soon as the offer is accepted.

What happens if I miss a deadline in the contract?

Missing a deadline in the doesn't automatically kill the deal or your protections — California uses active contingency removal. But the other party can deliver a 2-day Notice to Perform, and if you still don't act within those two days, they get the right to cancel and potentially keep part of your deposit. Don't let deadlines drift quietly.

Can the seller keep my whole deposit if I back out?

Usually not. If you initialed the liquidated damages clause in the and the home is 1–4 units used as your primary residence, the seller's damages are capped at 3% of the purchase price under California Civil Code §1675. If you skipped that initial, the cap goes away, so always check that box before you sign.

Should I initial the arbitration clause?

Initialing arbitration in the is your choice — it's an opt-in, not a default. Arbitration tends to be faster and private, but you give up your right to a jury trial and your right to appeal. Talk it through before signing, especially on a big purchase; you can't change your mind later.

Who pays my agent under the new RPA-CA?

After the 2024 commission settlement, the has explicit paragraphs about how the seller will (or won't) pay your buyer's agent. Sometimes the seller covers it, sometimes you do, and sometimes it's split. Read those paragraphs line by line before signing — they affect your cash to close.

How do I actually back out of the deal if I find something bad?

While your inspection, loan, or appraisal contingency is still active, you cancel by signing a written cancellation and getting your deposit refunded from escrow. After you've removed those contingencies, walking away gets much more expensive — the seller can claim up to 3% of the purchase price under the liquidated damages clause. The earlier you act, the safer your deposit.

Can I ask for more time on the inspection or loan window?

Yes, and you should if you need it. Every deadline in the is negotiable before signing, and even after signing you can ask for a written extension. The cleanest move is to build realistic timelines into your offer up front so you're not scrambling for an extension at day 16.

Glossary

1 term

RPA-CA — Residential Purchase Agreement (California): California's standard contract for buying a home — fills the slot a regular purchase offer plays in other states, with state-specific contingencies built in.

Sources

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