A California purchase agreement is a written contract in which a seller agrees to transfer a house or other real estate and a buyer agrees to pay for it. It records the amount, the deposit, the closing day and the conditions both parties accept. For a single-family house, California also has a seller disclosure rule that applies before the transfer closes.[1.2] Use this free California real estate purchase agreement template to fill in the parties and terms, then print or download it.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current California law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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A residential purchase agreement is the legal contract for transferring a house. The buyer makes an offer in writing, and the seller can accept it, turn it down or counter it. Once the parties agree, both put their signatures on one final agreement that sets the amount, the deposit, the closing day and the conditions of the deal.
Start from our printable real estate sales contract pages or the general purchase agreement page if you need a different state. Each party should read every line of the purchase agreement before signing.
Terms differ from deal to deal, but most purchase agreements cover the same ground:
A few habits make an agreement easier to finish and easier to read later:
California has a written disclosure rule for the transfer of a single-family house. Under Cal. Civ. Code Section 1102.3, the seller of any single-family real property subject to the article must deliver the completed written statement to the prospective buyer.[1.2] The disclosures required by the article are set forth in, and made on a copy of, the disclosure form in Section 1102.6.[1.3]
Except as provided in Section 1102.2, the article applies to any transfer of single-family residential property by:[1.1]
Section 1102.3 gives each kind of transfer its own timing:[1.2]
Sometimes a disclosure, or a material amendment of one, is delivered after the execution of an offer to purchase. The buyer can then terminate the offer by delivering written notice to the seller or the seller's agent. Under Section 1102.3, the time to do so depends on how the disclosure arrived:[1.2]
To count those days and other deadlines, try our deadline calculator.
The article does not allow a waiver of its requirements. Here is its own wording from Section 1102:
Any waiver of the requirements of this article is void as against public policy.
In plain words, a clause that waives the disclosure requirements has no effect.[1.1] You can read the full text of Sections 1102 to 1102.6 on the state legislature's site, linked under Sources. For a specific clause in your contract, ask an attorney.
A California transfer usually comes with more paperwork than the purchase agreement and the seller's disclosure statement. The items below are common in house deals, and which ones apply depends on the property, the lender and the city or county. Ask your agent, escrow officer or attorney which ones your deal needs.
Many buyers also check the public Megan's Law database of registered sex offenders near the property. Some ask the county assessor how a purchase could change their tax bill. A local jurisdiction may have its own transfer disclosure form, so ask the city or county before signing.
A commercial purchase agreement covers the transfer of business or investment property, such as an office, a store or a warehouse. It works like the residential version, but the terms are usually more detailed, and a business deal can raise financial questions of its own. The seller disclosure rule above is written for single-family residential property, so check what applies to your deal.[1.1]
A commercial purchase agreement usually covers:
Once both parties settle the terms and any brokerage agreements, they put their signatures on the final agreement. The buyer often sends the seller a letter of intent first to set out the main terms.
Do not rush into the first draft. Treat it as a legally important document and read it closely. A lawyer can guide you through the process and explain your options if a deal fails, so sign only when every condition is clear.
These short answers cover the California seller disclosure rule. Each one is based on the Civil Code sections listed under Sources, so you can read the law yourself. For questions about your own deal, ask a licensed California attorney.
Yes, for single-family residential property covered by the article. Under Cal. Civ. Code Section 1102.3, the seller must deliver the completed written statement to the prospective buyer.[1.2] The disclosures are set forth in, and made on a copy of, the disclosure form in Section 1102.6.[1.3]
In a sale, as soon as practicable before transfer of title. In a sale by a real property sales contract, a lease with an option to purchase or a ground lease coupled with improvements, as soon as practicable before execution of the contract.[1.2]
If the disclosure is delivered after the execution of an offer to purchase, the buyer can end the offer with written notice to the seller or the seller's agent. Under Section 1102.3, the buyer has:[1.2]
No. Section 1102 says any waiver of the requirements of the article is void as against public policy.[1.1]
A free template gives you a clear form for the amount, the property, the closing terms and the signatures. Many people have an attorney review the draft before signing, because a house deal involves a large amount of money and a specific set of rights for each party.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
