By Elizabeth Costa | Top Real Estate Agent in Doral & Miami | The Keyes Company
15+ years of experience · 300+ closed transactions · Bilingual: English & Spanish
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Last updated: October 23, 2026, with Miami-Dade MLS data through September 24, 2026

What happens after I accept an offer in Florida?
The clock starts on the Effective Date, when the last party signs. Under the FR/BAR contract defaults, the buyer's deposit is due in 3 days, the inspection period runs 15 days, and loan approval 30 days. Then come title work, the final walk-through, and closing on the date in the contract.

What Is the Florida Timeline After an Offer Is Accepted?

Most Doral sales use the Florida Realtors and Florida Bar (FR/BAR) contract. Every deadline counts in calendar days from the Effective Date. If a deadline falls on a weekend or national legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. Here are the defaults in the current FR/BAR Residential Contract, which apply only if the blanks are left empty:

When What happens Who acts FR/BAR default if left blank
Effective Date Last party signs and delivers the offer or final counter-offer. The clock starts the next day. Buyer and seller Day 0
Within 3 days Initial deposit goes to the escrow agent Buyer 3 days
Within 5 days Buyer applies for the loan (financed purchases) Buyer 5 days
Within 10 days Additional deposit, if the contract has one Buyer 10 days
Within 15 days Inspection period ends Buyer 15 days
Within 30 days Loan approval period ends Buyer and lender 30 days
15 days before closing Seller delivers title evidence (5 days if cash) Seller, through the closing agent 15 days
3 business days before closing Buyer receives the Closing Disclosure (financed purchases) Buyer's lender Federal rule
Day before or day of closing Final walk-through Buyer As the buyer specifies
Closing Date Documents signed, funds wired, keys delivered Everyone Written in the contract

Your signed contract controls. Buyers and sellers often write in shorter or longer periods. Closing Disclosure timing: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

How Do Doral Buyers Pay, and How Many Homes Are Under Contract?

How the buyer pays changes your timeline. A cash buyer skips the loan application, the loan approval period, and the Closing Disclosure wait. In Doral, more than a quarter of recent closings were cash:

Doral contracts and closings, 2026 Figure
Closings, June 26 to September 24, 2026 (all property types) 188
Financed with a conventional loan 116 (62%)
Paid in cash 53 (28%)
VA, FHA, non-QM, or other financing 19 (10%)
Under contract on September 24, 2026 110
Of those, still listed as Active With Contract 40 (36%)
Median days on market to contract, single-family (July to October) 51

Source: Miami-Dade MLS, Doral condos, townhouses, and single-family homes. Active With Contract means the home is under contract but still accepting back-up offers.

Elizabeth's Take

Accepting an offer feels like the finish line. It is the starting gun. When a deal falls through, it is rarely about price; it is a missed deadline or a document nobody asked for early. So on day one, my sellers get a Critical Dates document with every deadline in the contract, and we review it together week by week. Nobody has to guess what comes next.

6 Ways a Florida Contract Can End Before Closing

These are grouped in the order they usually come up in a transaction, based on the FR/BAR contract and Florida Statutes. Knowing them helps you plan for back-up offers and avoid surprises.

  1. Inspection period. During the inspection period, the buyer can cancel by written notice and get the deposit back. The AS IS contract gives the buyer this right for any reason.
  2. Financing. If the buyer cannot get loan approval within the loan approval period, the contract sets out how the buyer can cancel and recover the deposit, or how the seller can cancel if no approval is shown.
  3. HOA disclosure. If the buyer did not receive the HOA disclosure summary before signing, Florida Statute 720.401 lets the buyer cancel within 3 days after receiving it, or before closing.
  4. Condo documents. For a condo resale, Florida Statute 718.503 lets the buyer cancel within 7 days, excluding weekends and holidays, after receiving the required association documents if they arrive after signing.
  5. Title problems. If the buyer objects to a title defect, the seller has 30 days to cure it under the FR/BAR standards. If it is not cured, the buyer can accept the title as is or cancel.
  6. Sale of the buyer's home. If the contract includes Rider V, the buyer's purchase depends on selling their own home. Read more in Should I Sell My Doral Home Before I Buy?.

What Should I Do as a Seller After Accepting an Offer? Step by Step

  1. Confirm the Effective Date and list every contract deadline in a Critical Dates document you review each week with your agent.
  2. Confirm the deposit reached the escrow agent on time.
  3. Order HOA or condo documents and the estoppel right away. See my Doral HOA vs. CDD guide.
  4. Prepare for the inspection. Have utilities on, access open, and any permits, roof, or wind mitigation reports ready. My homeowners insurance and wind mitigation guide explains what buyers check.
  5. Respond to repair requests in writing before the inspection period ends, if the buyer sends any.
  6. Request your mortgage payoff and review your estimated net. See How Much Does It Cost to Sell a Home in Doral?
  7. Keep the home in the same condition through the walk-through, and plan your move around the Closing Date.

What Happens on Closing Day?

  • The buyer does the final walk-through, the day before or the day of closing.
  • Everyone signs: you sign the deed and closing statement, and the buyer signs the loan documents if financed.
  • Funds move: your mortgage is paid off and your net proceeds are sent to you. Confirm wiring instructions by phone with your closing agent, using a number you already know.
  • Keys, codes, and remotes go to the buyer as the contract states.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after you accept an offer on a house in Florida?

The contract becomes effective when the last party signs and delivers it. The buyer makes the deposit, inspects the home, and gets loan approval if financing. Title work follows, then the final walk-through and closing on the date in the contract.

How long is the inspection period in Florida?

In the FR/BAR contract, the inspection period is 15 days after the Effective Date if the blank is left empty. Buyers and sellers often negotiate a shorter or longer period.

When is the deposit due in a Florida real estate contract?

Under the FR/BAR contract default, the initial deposit is due within 3 days after the Effective Date, and any additional deposit within 10 days, unless the contract states other dates.

Can a buyer back out after the inspection in Florida?

During the inspection period, yes, by written notice. Under the AS IS contract, the buyer can cancel for any reason and get the deposit back. After the period ends, the buyer generally loses that right.

How long does it take to close on a house in Florida?

It depends on the Closing Date written in the contract. A financed purchase must allow for the 30-day default loan approval period and the Closing Disclosure 3 business days before closing. Cash closings can be faster.

What does Active With Contract mean in the Miami MLS?

The home is under contract but the seller is still accepting back-up offers. On September 24, 2026, 40 of 110 Doral homes under contract were listed that way.

How are days counted in a Florida real estate contract?

In calendar days, starting the day after the Effective Date. If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or national legal holiday, it moves to the next business day.

Selling in Doral? Let's Map Every Deadline.

I will price your home with sales from your community and walk you through every step from offer to closing. Bilingual EN/ES service.

Call or Text (786) 949-3971
Elizabeth Costa, Realtor | FL Lic. #3234205
The Keyes Company · Exclusive Member of Forbes Global Properties · Founding Member of Luxury Portfolio International
15+ years · 300+ closed transactions · Bilingual EN/ES
elizabethcosta@keyes.com · Schedule a Consultation · Free Home Valuation
Serving Doral, Miami, Coral Gables, Weston, Pinecrest, and surrounding South Florida communities
Elizabeth Costa, Top Real Estate Agent in Doral and Miami, Florida Elizabeth Costa, Realtor | FL Lic. #3234205
★ 5.0 · 82 Google reviews
Top Real Estate Agent in Doral, Florida | The Keyes Company
☎ (786) 949-3971
✉ elizabethcosta@keyes.com
📅 Schedule a private consultation
15+ years · 300+ closed transactions · Bilingual EN/ES
Office: 4191 NW 107th Ave, Doral, FL 33178
Serving Doral, Miami, Coral Gables, Weston, Pinecrest, and surrounding South Florida communities
The Keyes Company: Exclusive Member of Forbes Global Properties · Founding Member of Luxury Portfolio International

This article is general real estate information, not legal advice. Deadlines come from the FR/BAR contract forms and Florida Statutes as of October 2026; your signed contract controls. Consult a Florida real estate attorney for legal questions.