温馨提示：本视频发布于 2022 年 5 月 23 日，距今已超过一年。文中的市场数据、价格、利率与政策均以发布时为准，当前情况可能已有变化，欢迎联系我们获取最新信息。

房产知识 · 名词解释

不是故意说英文，而是这些词用中文讲起来很拗口。弄懂这 10 个词，加州买卖房的大致流程也就清楚了。

1Escrow：中立的交易托管

加州（以及美国西部）的房产交易由 escrow 公司主持，有点像“第三方担保”。经纪人分别代表买卖双方，escrow 则不代表任何一方，只按双方签字的合约办事：价格、定金、交易周期、各方义务。

买卖双方签约后会开立 escrow 账户（open escrow），买方的定金存入这个专用账户，而不是直接打给卖方。负责的工作人员叫 escrow officer。

2Listing：独家代理的房源

Listing 指卖方独家委托某位经纪人（或团队、公司）出售的房源。通常一个房子只委托一方代理，便于明确责任和报酬。

在买方这一边，很多专业团队同样希望与买家建立独家合作关系，这样才能投入足够的时间和资源。

3Contingency 与 CR：买方的反悔期

二手房交易通常使用加州房地产经纪人协会（C.A.R.）的标准购房合约（RPA），合约中有若干 contingency 条款，例如验房、估价、贷款。在约定期限内，如果买方发现无法继续，可以依约退出并取回定金。期限可以协商，标准合约有默认天数，具体以所用合约版本为准。

买方签署移除反悔条款的文件（contingency removal，行内常简称 CR）之后，交易就基本锁定。按加州法律，自住的一至四单元住宅，买方违约时卖方可保留的约定违约金通常不超过购买价的 3%（需双方在合约中约定）。

北加州的传统做法常常是卖方提前准备好全部检查和披露，买方以较少或不带 contingency 的方式出价；南加州则普遍保留 contingency。

Contingency 移除之前，房子还不算真正卖掉。

4Close of Escrow：过户完成

贷款批准、银行放款、产权在县政府登记完成后，escrow 会通知各方交易结束，这就是 close of escrow。此时 escrow 才会按结算单分配资金：还银行贷款、支付各项费用和佣金，余款交给卖方。

在关单之前，经纪人做了再多工作也没有报酬，这也是这个行业不为人知的一面。

5其他六个高频词

• Off market：不录入 MLS、公开网站上看不到的不上市房源。
• MLS：多重房源系统，Zillow、Redfin 等网站的数据都来自这里。
• County（郡/县）：州以下、市以上的行政层级。大洛杉矶地区包括洛杉矶、橙县（Orange）、河滨（Riverside）、圣贝纳迪诺（San Bernardino）、文图拉（Ventura）五个郡；尔湾是橙县下属的城市。
• Mello-Roos：新社区为修建学校、道路等基础设施设立的特别税，按年征收，期限和金额因社区而异。
• HOA：业主协会，由业主选出的委员会管理社区，收取物业费。
• Loft：二楼的开放式多功能空间，可以做家庭活动区或办公区。

常见问题

本文仅供一般信息参考，不构成法律、税务、贷款或投资建议。市场数据与政策以发布时为准，可能已有变化；具体情况请咨询持牌专业人士并自行核实。

California Real Estate 101: Ten English Terms You Hear in Our Videos

Please note: This video was published on May 23, 2022. It is more than a year old. Market data, prices, rates, and policies reflect that date and may have changed. Contact us for the latest information.

Real Estate Basics · Glossary

We are not using English to sound fancy; these terms are just awkward to say in Chinese. Learn these ten and you will understand the basic flow of a California transaction.

1Escrow: The Neutral Middle

In California and much of the West, an escrow company runs the transaction, somewhat like a third-party guarantor. Agents represent buyer and seller; escrow represents neither and follows the signed contract: price, deposit, timeline, and duties.

After both sides sign, escrow opens an account and the buyer's deposit goes there, not directly to the seller. The person handling it is the escrow officer.

2Listing: An Exclusive Listing

A listing is a property the seller has exclusively hired an agent, team, or brokerage to sell. One agency per home keeps responsibility and compensation clear.

On the buy side, many professional teams likewise prefer exclusive relationships so they can invest enough time and resources.

3Contingencies and CR: The Buyer's Exit Window

Resale purchases usually use the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA), with contingencies for inspection, appraisal, and financing. Within those periods, a buyer who cannot proceed can cancel under the contract and recover the deposit. Periods are negotiable; the form has default timelines, so check the version you sign.

Once the buyer signs a contingency removal (often shortened to CR), the deal is largely secured. Under California law, for owner-occupied one-to-four unit homes, liquidated damages a seller may keep if the buyer defaults are generally capped at 3% of the price, if agreed in the contract.

Northern California often uses pre-inspected listings with fewer contingencies; Southern California buyers typically keep contingencies.

Until contingencies are removed, the home is not really sold.

4Close of Escrow: Done

When the loan funds and title records with the county, escrow notifies everyone that the deal has closed. Only then does escrow disburse funds per the settlement statement: paying off loans, fees, and commissions, with the balance to the seller.

Before closing, agents earn nothing no matter how much work they put in, an often unseen side of the business.

5Six More Common Terms

• Off market: a home sold without being entered into the MLS, invisible on public sites.
• MLS: the Multiple Listing Service that feeds Zillow, Redfin, and others.
• County: the level between state and city. Greater Los Angeles includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties; Irvine is a city in Orange County.
• Mello-Roos: a special tax in newer communities that funds schools, roads, and infrastructure, collected annually with amounts and terms varying by district.
• HOA: the homeowners association, run by an elected board of owners, which collects dues.
• Loft: an open upstairs bonus space used as a family room or office.

FAQ

This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax, lending, or investment advice. Market data and policies reflect the time of publication and may have changed; please consult licensed professionals and verify independently.