The Verification of Property Condition form, known as C.A.R. Form VP, is the one-page document a California buyer signs after a final walkthrough to confirm the home is in substantially the same condition as when the purchase agreement was accepted and that any agreed repairs are done. Section 15 of the California Residential Purchase Agreement gives you the right to this walkthrough within five days before close of escrow, and Form VP is where you record what you saw.1California Association of REALTORS. California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions It is not a contingency and will not give you a new right to cancel, but it creates the written record that protects you if the property’s condition slipped between acceptance and closing.
When to Walk the Property
The standard RPA sets a window of five calendar days before the scheduled close of escrow, though the contract itself can specify a different number.1California Association of REALTORS. California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions Most agents schedule the walk one or two days before closing, late enough that the seller has moved out but early enough to leave room to negotiate anything you find.
Coordinate with your agent and the listing agent so the seller knows you are coming and the utilities stay on. You cannot test systems and appliances in a house with the water or power shut off, and an early utility shutoff is one of the common reasons walkthroughs get rescheduled. The California DRE describes the final inspection as confirming three things only: the property is in the same condition, agreed repairs are complete, and the seller has met their other contractual obligations.2California Department of Real Estate. California Department of Real Estate Reference Book Chapter 20 Treat it that way. You are comparing today’s property against the property as it existed on the date of acceptance, not reopening the deal.
How to Get the Form
Form VP is a proprietary C.A.R. standard form, not a free download. Your agent generates it through zipForm, the platform C.A.R. provides for its members, and sends it to you for electronic signature through Lone Wolf Digital Ink (Authentisign) or a brokerage platform like DocuSign.3California Association of Realtors. Lone Wolf Digital Ink 2.0 If you are handling a C.A.R. transaction without an agent, access generally runs through a C.A.R. membership or your escrow company.
What the Form Asks You to Confirm
Form VP is typically a single page. The header carries the property address and a reference back to your Residential Purchase Agreement. The body gives you two confirmations and a place to write exceptions.
- A box confirming the property is in substantially the same condition as on the date you accepted the purchase agreement. If it is not, you check the alternative box and describe the differences.
- A box confirming the seller completed any repairs, replacements, or modifications the two of you agreed to. Anything outstanding gets listed as an exception.
- A waiver box for buyers who decline to walk the property. Your broker is required to recommend an inspection, and signing the waiver notes that you are acting against that advice.
Fill in the date of the walkthrough. Every buyer on the contract signs and dates. The form then goes to the seller for acknowledgment. Form VP itself states that the walkthrough is not a contingency and does not alter the seller’s contractual obligations regarding property condition.4Vicki Lloyd. Verification of Property Condition
What to Check Before You Sign
Section 11 of the RPA requires the seller to maintain the property, including the pool, spa, landscaping, and grounds, in substantially the same condition as on the date of acceptance, and to remove all debris and personal property not included in the sale by close of escrow.1California Association of REALTORS. California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions That standard is your measuring stick. Bring the purchase agreement and any signed repair addenda with you.
Agreed Repairs
If you negotiated repairs through a Request for Repair (C.A.R. Form RR), verify each item against the specifications in that agreement.5California Association of REALTORS. Request for Repair (C.A.R. Form RR) Ask for receipts or invoices from licensed contractors. Run any repaired system to confirm it works.
Systems and Appliances
Run the HVAC long enough to confirm it heats or cools. Flip every switch and test outlets with a plug-in tester. Run water in every sink, tub, and shower, and look under cabinets for leaks. Flush every toilet. Operate every appliance included in the sale: stove, oven, dishwasher, disposal, microwave, refrigerator. Open and close the garage door with the remote. Test the doorbell, alarm, and any smart-home devices listed in the contract.
Walls, Floors, and Ceilings
Walk every room looking for new holes, cracks, stains, or damage. Scan floors for scuffs and loose tiles that may have been under furniture. Check ceilings for water stains that could point to a new leak. Open closets, cabinets, and built-ins.
Exterior and Grounds
Walk the perimeter. Confirm landscaping, fences, and hardscape match the condition at acceptance. Look for debris, construction materials, or trash. If there is a pool or spa, run the equipment. Check the yard, shed, and garage for personal items the seller should have removed.
Keys and Remotes
Collect keys for every door, mailbox, and gate, plus garage remotes, alarm codes, and any appliance manuals the seller agreed to leave. Doing this at the walkthrough avoids chasing them down after the deed records.
If the Walkthrough Reveals Problems
Do not sign a clean Form VP when the property is not clean. A signature saying “no changes” will undermine any later claim that the seller left the property in worse shape. You have several options, and the right one depends on the severity and how close you are to closing.
Note the problems on the form. At a minimum, check the box indicating changes and describe every issue in the exceptions space. Take dated photos and video. That record is what you will rely on if the dispute escalates.
Ask for a repair credit. For minor issues, the common fix is a credit to you through an amendment to the escrow instructions, which effectively reduces your purchase price or closing costs by the estimated repair amount. If you are financing, your lender may limit how much the seller can contribute.
Deliver a Notice to Seller to Perform. If the seller agreed to specific repairs and did not do them, you can deliver C.A.R. Form NSP. Under the RPA, this notice gives the seller a default period of two days to cure.6California Association of Realtors. Quick Guide – How a Seller Can Cancel a Purchase Agreement If they do not, your right to cancel depends on where you stand in the contingency timeline and the terms of your contract.
Negotiate an escrow holdback. When repairs cannot be finished before closing, the parties can agree to hold back a portion of the seller’s proceeds in escrow until the work is done. Lender approval and specific terms vary by loan type.
Delay closing. If the problems are serious enough that money alone will not solve them, both sides can sign an extension to the closing date. A long delay may require updating your rate lock and loan approval.
Signing and Delivering the Form
Once the walkthrough is finished, your agent fills in your findings on Form VP and routes it for electronic signature.3California Association of Realtors. Lone Wolf Digital Ink 2.0 After you sign, it goes to the seller or seller’s agent for acknowledgment, and the fully executed copy is delivered to the escrow holder. It becomes a permanent part of the closing file. A clean VP with no exceptions takes five minutes to sign and the transaction moves to closing.
What Signing Does Not Waive
The walkthrough catches what you can see. It does not catch mold inside walls, a cracked slab, or wiring hidden behind drywall. Signing Form VP to confirm the property looks fine does not waive your right to pursue the seller for hidden defects that were not disclosed. The form itself states that it does not alter the seller’s contractual obligations regarding property condition.4Vicki Lloyd. Verification of Property Condition Under California Civil Code Section 1102.13, a seller who willfully or negligently fails to meet their disclosure obligations is liable for the buyer’s actual damages.7Justia Law. California Civil Code 1102-1102.17 A concealed defect that should have appeared on the Transfer Disclosure Statement is a separate claim from anything on the VP.