After mutual acceptance in Washington, escrow opens, earnest money is delivered per the contract timeline, the seller fulfills disclosure and repair obligations, and both parties sign closing documents before the King County Recorder's Office records the deed, completing the transfer.
What happens after you accept an offer in Washington state?
After mutual acceptance in Washington, the purchase and sale agreement controls every deadline that follows: escrow opens, the buyer delivers earnest money on the contract's schedule, the seller delivers Form 17 and satisfies agreed repairs, both parties sign closing documents, and the King County Recorder's Office records the deed to make the transfer official. The full path from acceptance to recording typically runs 20 to 45 days, depending on the terms in your contract and whether the buyer is financing the purchase.
Most sellers I work with are surprised by how much happens on their side of the transaction after they sign back a contract. You've accepted the offer, great. But you're not done. Here's how the timeline actually unfolds.
From Mutual Acceptance to Escrow Opening
In Washington, mutual acceptance is the official starting gun. It's the moment when both buyer and seller have signed and the last party has communicated acceptance to the other side. Every subsequent deadline in the contract, inspection periods, financing contingencies, closing date, counts from this date, not from when you first received the offer.
Escrow doesn't open on some automatic city schedule. As Washington State University Extension explains, the purchase and sale agreement sets the terms, including when earnest money must be delivered and when escrow instructions are established. The contract controls the timeline, not a universal King County rule.
Practically speaking, I coordinate with the escrow company as soon as we have mutual acceptance, usually the same day or the next morning. The escrow officer receives a copy of the signed contract and opens the file. Title work begins immediately, because any clouds on title (liens, easements, boundary issues) need to surface early enough to resolve before closing.
Earnest Money Delivery
The earnest money deadline is a contract term, not a fixed Washington statute. In most Seattle transactions I've handled, the buyer has two to three business days from mutual acceptance to deliver the deposit to escrow. The amount varies by offer, but it is held in escrow until closing, at which point it typically applies toward the buyer's closing costs or down payment.
If the buyer misses the earnest money deadline without a valid excuse, that's a material breach, something worth flagging immediately with your broker rather than letting slide. I've seen sellers assume the money will just show up eventually. It needs to show up on time.
The Inspection Period
Most Washington purchase and sale agreements include an inspection contingency. The buyer typically has a set number of days (commonly five to ten business days from mutual acceptance) to conduct inspections and either proceed, negotiate repairs, or terminate.
During this window, you'll need to provide reasonable access to the property. If the buyer requests repairs or a price adjustment after inspection, that negotiation happens here, before the contingency deadline. Once the buyer waives or satisfies the inspection contingency, the transaction moves forward toward financing and closing.
The Seller's Pre-Closing Checklist
This is the part sellers underestimate. You have real obligations between acceptance and closing, and missing any of them can delay recording or give the buyer grounds to renegotiate.
Form 17: The Seller Disclosure Statement
Washington law requires sellers of residential property (one to four units) to provide a Seller Disclosure Statement, commonly called Form 17, to the buyer. This requirement is established under RCW 64.06 and applies unless a statutory exemption covers your sale.
The buyer then has a rescission period after receiving Form 17, another deadline your contract will specify. If you haven't already delivered Form 17 before acceptance (some sellers do, some don't), getting it to the buyer promptly after mutual acceptance is a priority. Delays here push back the buyer's rescission clock and can compress your closing timeline.
Agreed Repairs and Property Condition
If you negotiated repairs as part of the offer or during the inspection period, those need to be completed before the final walkthrough, typically the day before or morning of closing. Keep receipts. The buyer will do a pre-closing walkthrough to confirm the property's condition matches what was agreed.
Beyond repairs, you're responsible for leaving the property in the condition the contract specifies: fixtures and inclusions that were part of the sale stay, personal property you're keeping leaves. I walk every seller through the inclusions list before closing to make sure there are no surprises at the walkthrough.
Signing Closing Documents
A few days before the scheduled closing date, escrow will send you a signing appointment. You'll review and sign the deed, the settlement statement, and several other documents. This is when you see the final numbers, what you'll net after paying off your mortgage, satisfying the real estate excise tax obligation, and covering any other closing items.
Washington's real estate excise tax is a state-level tax on the sale of real property, with additional local rates that apply in Seattle and King County. The escrow company handles collection and remittance at recording. Who bears this cost is commonly a point of negotiation between buyer and seller, confirm how it's addressed in your specific contract rather than assuming one side always pays it.
Closing Day and Recording in King County
Here's something that trips up sellers who've closed in other states: in Washington, closing day and recording day are not always the same day.
Once both parties have signed, the buyer's lender has funded the loan, and escrow has confirmed all conditions are satisfied, the escrow company sends the deed and other documents to the King County Recorder's Office for recording. King County's recording system accepts both electronic and paper recording.
The transfer is not legally complete, and is not part of the public record, until the deed is actually recorded. In practice, recording often happens the same day as signing or the following business day. But possession and key handoff are typically tied to recording, not just to signing. Your contract will specify exactly when possession transfers, confirm this detail before closing day so there's no confusion about when the buyer gets the keys.
The Washington Department of Licensing licenses the brokers and managing brokers who coordinate this process on both sides, your broker works alongside escrow and title to keep every deadline on track from mutual acceptance through recording.
| Stage | What Happens | Who Drives It |
|---|---|---|
| Mutual Acceptance | Contract is fully executed; all deadlines begin counting | Both parties / brokers |
| Escrow Opens | Escrow file created; title search begins | Escrow company |
| Earnest Money Delivered | Buyer deposits funds per contract deadline | Buyer |
| Form 17 Delivered | Seller provides disclosure statement; buyer's rescission period begins | Seller / seller's broker |
| Inspection Period | Buyer inspects; any repair negotiations resolved | Buyer (with seller access) |
| Financing Contingency | Buyer's lender issues loan commitment; contingency waived | Buyer / lender |
| Pre-Closing Walkthrough | Buyer confirms property condition and agreed repairs | Buyer |
| Signing | Both parties sign closing documents at escrow | Escrow company |
| Funding | Lender wires loan proceeds to escrow | Buyer's lender |
| Recording | Deed recorded at King County Recorder's Office; transfer is official | Escrow company / King County |
Every situation is different, and the only way to know exactly what your timeline looks like is to go through your specific contract with someone who knows this market. A stumble on your side of the transaction can give a buyer leverage they wouldn't otherwise have. That's what I do with every seller I work with before we even list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does escrow take after mutual acceptance in Washington?
The closing timeline is set by your purchase and sale agreement, not by a fixed Washington law. In Seattle, most transactions close within 20 to 45 days of mutual acceptance, depending on whether the buyer is financing the purchase and how quickly contingencies are resolved. Cash transactions can close faster; FHA or VA loans may take longer due to lender timelines.
When is earnest money due after an offer is accepted in Seattle?
The earnest money deadline is a contract term. In most Seattle transactions, the buyer has two to three business days from mutual acceptance to deliver the deposit to escrow, but your specific contract controls this. As Washington State University Extension notes, the purchase and sale agreement sets the terms for earnest money delivery, confirm the exact deadline in your contract.
Is Form 17 required after accepting an offer in Washington?
Yes, for most residential sales. Under RCW 64.06, sellers of one- to four-unit residential property must deliver a Seller Disclosure Statement (Form 17) to the buyer unless a statutory exemption applies. The buyer then has a rescission period after receiving it, so delivering Form 17 promptly after mutual acceptance keeps your closing timeline on track.
Who records the deed after closing in King County?
The escrow company submits the deed to the King County Recorder's Office after all closing conditions are met and the buyer's lender has funded. King County accepts both electronic and paper recording. The transfer is not legally complete until recording happens, that's the moment the public record reflects the new ownership.
Who pays Washington real estate excise tax at closing?
Washington's real estate excise tax is a state-level tax on real property transfers, with additional local rates that apply in Seattle and King County. The escrow company handles collection and remittance at recording. Who bears the cost is commonly negotiated between buyer and seller, your contract will specify how it's allocated, so confirm the terms with your broker or escrow officer rather than assuming one side automatically pays.
When does the buyer get the keys after closing in Seattle?
Possession timing is set by your purchase and sale agreement, and in Washington it is typically tied to recording rather than signing. In practice, recording often happens the same day as signing or the following business day. Confirm your contract's possession clause before closing day so there's no ambiguity about when the buyer takes the keys.
The path from mutual acceptance to recording has more moving parts than most sellers expect. Knowing exactly what you're responsible for, and when, is what keeps a clean transaction from turning into a stressful one. If you're preparing to list or you've just accepted an offer and want to walk through your specific timeline, schedule a consultation with me and we'll go through it together.
About Kim Reidy
Kim Reidy is a Senior Broker and Director of Relocation at Pointe3 Real Estate in Seattle who has been helping corporate transferees and individuals find the right neighborhood since 2010. A Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) and Certified Buyer Agent Expert (CBAE), she's known as Seattle's "neighborhood whisperer."
Pointe3 Real Estate · (206) 237-6391
Equal Housing Opportunity. Kim Reidy is licensed in Washington State, regulated by the Washington State Department of Licensing. This article is general information only, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific costs, timelines, and obligations with your attorney, tax advisor, lender, or escrow officer. Property search powered by RealScout pulling live MLS data; all information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Data provided for personal non-commercial use only.
