Real Estate Exam [California] 38, Contingencies, Deposits, and Liquidated Damages

Real Estate Exam [California] 38, Contingencies, Deposits, and Liquidated Damages

From Real Estate Exam Prep by Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

July 11, 2026 · 3 min

About this episode

This episode covers key aspects of contingencies, deposits, and liquidated damages in California real estate transactions.

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - In California, contingencies are not removed automatically after a time period expires; they require an active, written removal by the buyer. - If a buyer defaults on an owner-occupied residential purchase, the seller's liquidated damages are capped at 3% of the purchase price, or the deposit amount, whichever is less. - The three primary buyer contingencies are Inspection, Loan, and Appraisal (remember I-L-A), which protect the buyer's deposit. - A buyer's earnest money deposit is generally refundable if they cancel the contract based on a valid, active contingency. - Mediation is a mandatory first step for dispute resolution under the RPA, while binding arbitration is optional and only applies if both parties initial the clause. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or…

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Host: Ran Chen

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Organizations: Open Exam Prep

Places: California

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