Under Contract in Utah: What Happens After Your Offer Is Accepted

Your offer was accepted — congratulations. Now comes the part most buyers aren’t prepared for: the 30-45 days between a signed contract and handing you the keys. This period involves inspections, appraisals, loan underwriting, title searches, and more moving parts than most buyers expect. Here’s exactly what happens, in order, so you can protect your earnest money and get to closing without surprises.

The Utah purchase timeline at a glance

Phase	Typical timing	Who drives it
Sign REPC, deposit earnest money	Days 1-3	Buyer
Due diligence (inspection) period	Days 1-14	Buyer
Appraisal ordered and completed	Days 7-30	Lender
Loan processing and underwriting	Days 1-45	Lender + buyer
Title search and clearance	Days 1-40	Title company
Seller repairs completed	Days 14-40	Seller
Final loan approval (clear to close)	Days 38-43	Lender
Final walk-through	Days 43-45	Buyer
Closing day	Day 30-45	Title company

The calendar runs fast. Every deadline in the Real Estate Purchase Contract (REPC) is legally binding, and missing one can cost you your earnest money or your purchase.

Days 1-3: Sign the REPC and deposit earnest money

Once both parties sign the purchase agreement, you have a very short window — usually 24-72 hours per the contract terms — to deposit earnest money with the title company. The clock on every contingency starts from the acceptance date, not the date you get around to reading the contract.

Your agent will:

• Coordinate earnest money deposit instructions from the title company
• Send a copy of the fully executed REPC to your lender
• Calendar every deadline so nothing slips

Read our full guide on earnest money in Utah if you want a deeper breakdown of how it’s held and when it’s protected.

Days 1-14: The due diligence (inspection) period

The due diligence period is your most important buyer protection under Utah’s REPC. You have the right — and the responsibility — to get the property inspected and to decide whether you’re proceeding on the agreed terms.

What to schedule during due diligence

• General home inspection — covers structure, roof, plumbing, electrical, HVAC ($350-$500)
• Radon test — Utah homes frequently test high; remediation is common and straightforward ($150-$200)
• Sewer scope — especially for homes built before 1980; roots and pipe degradation are common ($150-$250)
• HOA document review — if the home is in an HOA, you’re entitled to all governing documents within the due diligence window; read them

Most buyers in Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis County, and Tooele County use all three inspections. Skipping any of them to save $300 is a poor trade-off when you’re buying a $500,000+ asset.

Your options after inspection

After reviewing the inspection report, you have three paths:

1. Proceed as-is — you’re satisfied with the home’s condition
2. Request repairs or credits — submit a written repair addendum listing what you want fixed or credited; the seller can accept, counter, or decline
3. Terminate the contract — you exit within the deadline for any reason, earnest money is returned

The due diligence period is your cleanest exit. After it expires, terminating the contract is harder and puts your earnest money at risk. Learn more about how inspection findings are negotiated in Salt Lake County.

Days 7-30: The appraisal

Your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home’s value supports the loan amount. An independent licensed appraiser visits the property, reviews recent comparable sales, and issues a formal value opinion. You pay for this upfront (typically $550-$750) regardless of outcome.

Three scenarios:

• Appraised value meets or exceeds purchase price — clean, proceed to closing
• Appraised value comes in low — you have options (see FAQ below)
• Appraiser flags conditions — FHA and some conventional loans require repairs before funding if certain defects are flagged; your agent will flag this risk before making an offer on a fixer property

The appraisal contingency in the REPC gives you the right to exit if you can’t resolve a low appraisal. Use it if needed — don’t feel pressured to pay above appraised value without understanding what that means for your equity position from day one.

Days 1-45: Loan processing and underwriting

While inspections happen, your lender is simultaneously processing your file. Underwriting means a loan underwriter reviews every document you’ve submitted — income, assets, employment, tax returns, credit — to confirm you qualify for the loan they pre-approved you for.

What the lender will ask for

• Pay stubs (usually the two most recent)
• Two years of W-2s or 1099s / tax returns
• Two months of bank statements
• Letter of explanation for any unusual deposits or credit inquiries
• Homeowner’s insurance binder

Underwriters ask more questions than buyers expect. Respond to every request within 24 hours — delays compound quickly, and a 2-day lag can push your closing date by a week.

What NOT to do during underwriting

This cannot be overstated:

• Do not open new credit cards or loans
• Do not make large undocumented deposits
• Do not change jobs or become self-employed
• Do not co-sign for anyone
• Do not let your credit be pulled unnecessarily

Any of these can trigger a re-underwrite or denial. Your financial profile needs to be essentially frozen from the moment your offer is accepted until you have the keys.

Days 1-40: Title search and clearance

While inspections and underwriting proceed, the title company runs a public records search to confirm the seller has clear, legal ownership and that no liens or encumbrances cloud the title. Common title issues include:

• Unpaid contractor liens
• IRS or state tax liens against the seller
• Unresolved judgments
• Easements not properly disclosed
• Boundary disputes or survey issues

Most title issues are resolved before closing, often by the seller paying off a lien from the sale proceeds. Occasionally a title issue can’t be resolved in time and delays or kills the deal. Title insurance protects you from issues discovered after closing.

You’ll receive a preliminary title report partway through the transaction — your agent will review it with you and flag anything unusual.

Days 40-43: Clear to close

“Clear to close” is the lender’s formal confirmation that all conditions are satisfied and the loan is approved. This usually arrives 2-5 days before closing. At this point:

• The title company prepares final closing documents
• Your lender issues a Closing Disclosure (CD) at least 3 business days before closing by federal law
• Review the CD carefully — it lists every fee and the exact cash to close you’ll need to wire

Wire the closing funds only to instructions you’ve confirmed directly with the title company by phone using a number from their official website. Wire fraud targeting homebuyers is common in Utah and nationally — a single email with fraudulent wiring instructions has cost buyers their entire down payment.

Days 43-45: Final walk-through

Schedule your final walk-through 24-48 hours before closing. This is not another inspection — it’s a confirmation that:

• Agreed repairs were completed (ask for receipts and permits if relevant)
• All items included in the sale are still present (appliances, window coverings, etc.)
• No new damage occurred since you went under contract
• Utilities are operational (run the dishwasher, test all outlets, run hot water)

If you find unresolved issues, address them before signing closing documents — not after. Your leverage evaporates the moment you sign.

Closing day

Closing typically happens at the title company’s office. You’ll sign a significant stack of documents — your loan documents, title documents, and various disclosures. Bring:

• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Confirmation that your wire transferred (or a cashier’s check if agreed with the title company)
• Your checkbook for any small true-up amounts

After signing, the lender funds the loan and the title company records the deed with the county. Recording can happen same day or the next morning depending on the county and timing. You get keys when the transaction is “fully funded and recorded” — usually same afternoon or the following morning.

Common reasons deals fall through under contract

• Buyer fails to exercise a contingency properly by the deadline
• Low appraisal — parties can’t agree on resolution
• Loan denial (job change, new debt, income issue discovered in underwriting)
• Title defect that can’t be cleared
• Buyer walks away after contingency removal (loses earnest money)
• Seller fails to complete agreed repairs

The most common: a buyer or their agent misses a contingency deadline. Your agent’s job is to calendar and track every deadline in the REPC from day one. If you’re working with Andrew, you’ll get proactive reminders so nothing slips.

What to do next

Being under contract is exciting — and the 30-45 days between acceptance and closing is the most critical period of any real estate transaction. Understand your deadlines, stay responsive to your lender, and lean on your agent when questions come up.

If you’re preparing to make an offer on a home in Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis County, or Tooele County, call Andrew Ho at (801) 979-8877 or reach out here to talk through the process before you’re in the middle of it. Knowing what’s coming makes every step easier.

Browse current homes available in the Salt Lake metro area or get a free home valuation if you’re thinking about selling first.