June 22, 2026

Earnest Money Deposit in California: How Much and When You Get It Back

In California, earnest money is typically 1% to 3% of the purchase price, deposited directly into escrow within 3 business days of acceptance. On a $900,000 home, that’s $9,000 to $27,000 that goes into escrow before you’ve done a single inspection. If you cancel within a contingency period, you get every dollar back. If you

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Low Appraisal in California: What Buyers and Sellers Do

What happens when a home appraisal comes in below the purchase price? When a home appraisal comes in below the contract price in California, buyers have three options: ask the seller to reduce the price to the appraised value, pay the difference in cash, or cancel the transaction and recover their earnest money. Under the

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