Your offer got accepted. Congratulations. Now what? Escrow is the part of buying a home that nobody explains until you're in it, so here's the California version in plain English, week by week.
Escrow opens, and you wire your earnest money deposit, typically within 3 business days of acceptance (your signed contract sets the exact deadline). Your lender orders the appraisal. You start getting disclosure packets: the seller's Transfer Disclosure Statement, natural hazard report, and anything else the property requires. Read them. This is the week buyers skim and regret.
General home inspection first, then specialists if it flags anything: pest, roof, sewer lateral, chimney. You can negotiate repairs or credits from what you learn, or walk away if you're inside your inspection contingency window. Your signed contract controls that timeline, so know your dates cold.
The appraisal comes back. Underwriting asks for documents you already sent them, then asks again. This is normal. Keep your finances frozen: no new credit lines, no big purchases, no job changes if you can help it.
Contingency removals are the point of no return, and they happen on your contract's schedule, not on vibes. Loan docs get signed, you wire your closing funds, the deed records, and you get keys. Recording day is ownership day.
Escrow is a checklist with deadlines, and the buyers who close on time are the ones who treat the deadlines as real. A typical financed escrow runs about 30 days, but your signed contract is the only schedule that matters.
Want someone who actually manages this timeline instead of wishing you luck? That's what buyer representation is for. Let's talk before you're in it.
Sources: standard California purchase contract practice; Redfin market context (accessed Nov 2, 2026).
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