What does it mean when earnest money goes hard?

It means the deposit has become nonrefundable. Earnest money goes hard when a contingency or due diligence period ends. Before that, the buyer can usually cancel and get the money back. After it, walking away without another protected reason can mean losing the deposit to the seller.

The phrase is common in commercial deals and in states with a due diligence period, such as Georgia. Some contracts split the deposit, so part goes hard on one date and the rest later. Even hard money usually comes back if the seller defaults.

Some contracts still leave a financing or appraisal contingency in place after the due diligence period ends, so check what survives. When the deposit goes hard, the seller's usual remedy is to keep it as liquidated damages. See when earnest money is refundable for the deadlines to watch.