What to Expect During Escrow in Santa Clarita | Dubner
Published by Michelle & Jon Dubner | Dubner Real Estate Group | Equity Union
Last updated: July 16, 2026
You accepted an offer on your Santa Clarita home, maybe from a buyer who has lived here for years, maybe from one relocating from Los Angeles. Either way, that is the exciting part. What comes next, the weeks between "we have a deal" and handing over the keys, is where most sellers feel the most uncertain. Michelle and Jon Dubner walk sellers through escrow on every listing, so here is exactly what happens and when.
Key Takeaways
- A typical California escrow runs 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to close, though the exact dates are whatever your contract says.
- Day 17 is the default deadline in the standard CAR contract for the buyer to remove inspection and appraisal contingencies.
- Sellers have real work during this window too: disclosures, repairs you agreed to, and staying ready for a final walkthrough.
- Nothing is final until signed loan documents fund and the deed records with the county.
What Happens Right After You Accept an Offer?
Escrow opens within a day or two of your accepted offer, usually with the buyer's earnest money deposit going into a neutral third-party escrow account. From there, the clock starts on the contingency periods written into your contract. Jon and I walk every seller through the exact dates on their specific contract at this point, because those dates are what actually govern the transaction, not a general rule of thumb.
What Are Contingencies and When Do They Get Removed?
Under the standard California purchase agreement, the buyer typically has 17 days to complete their inspections, review your disclosures, and get their appraisal back, then either remove those contingencies or renegotiate. The loan contingency usually runs about 21 days. Once contingencies are removed, the deal is far more secure, though it is not truly done until the buyer's loan funds and the deed records.
What Do Sellers Actually Have to Do During Escrow?
This is the part that surprises a lot of sellers. Escrow is not just waiting around for a closing date. You will typically be signing and returning disclosure documents, coordinating access for the inspector and appraiser, and completing any repairs you agreed to during negotiation. If you agreed to a repair credit instead of doing the work yourself, that gets handled through escrow at closing rather than before it.
What Is the Final Walkthrough and Why Does It Matter?
A day or two before closing, the buyer typically does a final walkthrough to confirm the home is in the same condition as when they agreed to buy it, and that any agreed repairs were completed. Keeping the home in showable, functioning condition through this entire window, not just through the listing photos, is part of what keeps a deal from hitting a last-minute snag.
When Do You Actually Get Paid?
Closing happens when the buyer's final loan documents are signed and funded and the deed records with the county. Your proceeds are typically disbursed by escrow shortly after recording is confirmed, often the same day or the next business day. Jon and I keep sellers updated at each milestone along the way so closing day is not the first time you hear where things stand.
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Thinking about listing your Santa Clarita home?
Jon and I walk every seller through their specific timeline before you ever sign a listing agreement, so there are no surprises once escrow opens. If you want to talk through what your escrow window would actually look like, reach out.
Call or text: 661-219-5517
Michelle & Jon Dubner · Dubner Real Estate Group · Equity Union
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does escrow take in Santa Clarita?
A typical California escrow runs 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing, though the actual length depends on financing, contingencies, and what you and the buyer negotiate in the contract.
What is the Day 17 deadline in escrow?
Day 17 is the default deadline in the standard California purchase agreement for the buyer to complete inspections, review disclosures, and either remove or renegotiate contingencies based on the appraisal and inspection results.
What does a seller have to do during escrow?
Sellers typically sign and return disclosure documents, provide access for inspections and the appraisal, complete any repairs agreed to during negotiation, and keep the home in the same condition through the final walkthrough.
What happens at the final walkthrough?
The buyer typically walks through the home a day or two before closing to confirm it is in the same condition as when they agreed to buy it and that any agreed repairs were completed.
When do sellers actually get paid after closing?
Once the buyer's loan documents are signed and funded and the deed records with the county, escrow typically disburses seller proceeds the same day or the next business day.
