Understanding Escrow
South Bay & Los Angeles Buyers

Guidance for South Bay and Los Angeles buyers on what to expect in escrow, including timelines, inspections, contingencies, and the steps toward closing.

THE HOME BUYING PROCESS

Escrow: Now What?

Congratulations, you are well on your way to owning your very own LA County home! Follow these suggestions (and your Realtors’s advice) so that escrow and settlement will go as smooth as possible.

You will be asked for a down payment on the Los Angeles home you are purchasing. You can choose to put down as much or as little as you want (depending on your mortgage), but remember, the more you put down toward the total price of your home, the less time it will take you to pay off and the lower your mortgage payments will be every month.

During this period of purchasing your home, you are going to need an escrow or settlement company to act as an independent third party so that you know when and who to give your money to so that you can get the deed to your new home. The escrow or settlement company will hold your deposit and coordinate much of the activity that goes on during the escrow period. This deposit check may also be held by an attorney or in the broker’s trust account. Make sure that there are sufficient funds in your account to cover this check.

The deposit check will then be cashed. Assuming the sale goes through, this money will be applied to the purchase price of the home. If for any reason the sale is not consummated, you may be entitled to receive all of your deposit back, less standard cancellation fees. In certain instances, the seller may be able to retain this money as liquidated damages. Prior to executing a purchase contract, it would be wise to speak with your counsel regarding whether or not it is your best interest to have a liquidated damages clause as part of the contract.

The period that you are “in escrow” is often 30 days, but may be longer or shorter. During this time, each item specified in the contract must be completed satisfactorily. By the time you have opened escrow, you have come to an agreement with the seller on the closing date as well as the contingencies. Each contract is different, but most include the following basics:
1) Inspection contingency: this should be completed as soon as possible after the contract to purchase is signed as unsatisfactory results of the inspection may mean that you will want to cancel the contract.
2) Financing contingency: Once the contract is signed, you have a period of time to secure funding. If, for any reason, you are unable to secure funding during the period of time granted to you by the contract (and the seller will not provide a written extension of time), you must decide whether you want to remove the contingency and take your chances on getting a loan. You may choose to cancel the purchase contract.
3) A requirement that the seller must provide marketable title. With an attorney or title officer, review the title report. The title must be “clear” to ensure that you do not have legal issues regarding your ownership. Check into local and state ordinances regarding property transfer and make sure that you and/or the seller have complied with them.
4) Homeowner’s insurance. This will probably be required before you can close the sale. Due to such requirements as special fire and earthquake insurance, obtaining this insurance may require a lengthy period of time. It would be in your best interest to apply for insurance as soon as possible after the contract is signed.
You’ll now want to contact local utility companies to schedule to have service turned on when you close escrow.
And finally, schedule the final walk-through inspection. At this time, you should make sure that the property is exactly as the contract says it should be. What you thought to be a “permanently attached” chandelier that would come with the property might have been removed by the seller and replaced with a different fixture entirely.

You’ve made it! Once the sale has closed, you’re the proud owner of a new Los Angeles home. Congratulations!

Why Work With Jesse Dougherty

Why work with Jesse Dougherty? As the #1 Compass real estate agent in the South Bay with top rankings from RealTrends/MLS based on proven statistics across residential, luxury, investment, and trust & probate real estate sales – Jesse is your go-to agent & advisor.

Jesse Dougherty combines hyperlocal market knowledge with marketing-driven prowess, strong negotiation skills, and seamless experience making each transaction a client-first approach that avoids common pitfalls of real estate endeavors.

With 150+ 5-star reviews from loyal clients who respect my integrity as much as my effort to get the job done right – you will receive crystal clear communication every step of the way using Compass technology to your benefit.

From your first call to your closing day, trust that my decade + experience will put you first always!

Contact Us