OK then. Remember, you chose to refer to the Statute of Frauds not me. Here is the relevant bit from the
California Civil code which picks up the Statute of Frauds.
1. Where is the $500 section ?
2. Where is the section that says a yacht cannot be
sold by oral contract ?
1624. (a) The following contracts are invalid, unless they, or some
note or memorandum thereof, are in writing and subscribed by the
party to be charged or by the party's agent:
(1) An agreement that by its terms is not to be performed within a
year from the making thereof.
(2) A special promise to answer for the debt, default, or
miscarriage of another, except in the cases provided for in Section
2794.
(3) An agreement for the leasing for a longer period than one
year, or for the sale of real property, or of an interest therein;
such an agreement, if made by an agent of the party sought to be
charged, is invalid, unless the authority of the agent is in writing,
subscribed by the party sought to be charged.
(4) An agreement authorizing or employing an agent,
broker, or any
other person to purchase or sell real estate, or to
lease real
estate for a longer period than one year, or to procure, introduce,
or find a purchaser or seller of real estate or a lessee or lessor of
real estate where the
lease is for a longer period than one year,
for compensation or a commission.
(5) An agreement that by its terms is not to be performed during
the lifetime of the promisor.
(6) An agreement by a purchaser of real property to pay an
indebtedness secured by a mortgage or deed of trust upon the property
purchased, unless assumption of the indebtedness by the purchaser is
specifically provided for in the conveyance of the property.
(7) A contract, promise, undertaking, or commitment to loan
money
or to grant or extend credit, in an amount greater than one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000), not primarily for personal,
family, or
household purposes, made by a person engaged in the business of
lending or arranging for the lending of
money or extending credit.
For purposes of this section, a contract, promise, undertaking or
commitment to loan money secured solely by residential property
consisting of one to four dwelling units shall be deemed to be for
personal,
family, or household purposes.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a):
(1) An agreement or contract that is valid in other respects and
is otherwise enforceable is not invalid for lack of a note,
memorandum, or other writing and is enforceable by way of action or
defense, provided that the agreement or contract is a qualified
financial contract as defined in paragraph (2) and (A) there is, as
provided in paragraph (3), sufficient evidence to indicate that a
contract has been made or (B) the parties thereto by means of a prior
or subsequent written contract, have agreed to be bound by the terms
of the qualified financial contract from the time they reached
agreement (by telephone, by exchange of electronic messages, or
otherwise) on those terms.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, a "qualified financial
contract" means an agreement as to which each party thereto is other
than a natural person and that is any of the following:
(A) For the purchase and sale of foreign exchange, foreign
currency, bullion, coin or precious metals on a forward, spot,
next-day value or other basis.
(B) A contract (other than a contract for the purchase of a
commodity for future
delivery on, or subject to the rules of, a
contract market or board of trade) for the purchase, sale, or
transfer of any commodity or any similar good, article,
service,
right, or interest that is presently or in the future becomes the
subject of a dealing in the forward contract
trade, or any product or
byproduct thereof, with a maturity date more than two days after the
date the contract is entered into.
(C) For the purchase and sale of currency, or interbank deposits
denominated in United States dollars.
(D) For a currency option, currency swap, or cross-currency rate
swap.
(E) For a commodity swap or a commodity option (other than an
option contract traded on, or subject to the rules of a contract
market or board of trade).
(F) For a rate swap, basis swap, forward rate transaction, or an
interest rate option.
(G) For a security-index swap or option, or a
security or
securities
price swap or option.
(H) An agreement that involves any other similar transaction
relating to a
price or index (including, without limitation, any
transaction or agreement involving any combination of the foregoing,
any cap, floor, collar, or similar transaction with respect to a
rate, commodity price, commodity index,
security or securities price,
security index, other price index, or loan price).
(I) An option with respect to any of the foregoing.
(3) There is sufficient evidence that a contract has been made in
any of the following circumstances:
(A) There is evidence of an electronic communication (including,
without limitation, the recording of a telephone call or the tangible
written text produced by computer retrieval), admissible in evidence
under the laws of this state, sufficient to indicate that in the
communication a contract was made between the parties.
(B) A confirmation in writing sufficient to indicate that a
contract has been made between the parties and sufficient against the
sender is received by the party against whom enforcement is sought
no later than the fifth business day after the contract is made (or
any other period of time that the parties may agree in writing) and
the sender does not receive, on or before the third business day
after receipt (or the other period of time that the parties may agree
in writing), written objection to a material term of the
confirmation. For purposes of this subparagraph, a confirmation or an
objection thereto is received at the time there has been an actual
receipt by an individual responsible for the transaction or, if
earlier, at the time there has been constructive receipt, which is
the time actual receipt by that individual would have occurred if the
receiving party, as an organization, had exercised reasonable
diligence. For the purposes of this subparagraph, a "business day" is
a day on which both parties are open and transacting business of the
kind involved in that qualified financial contract that is the
subject of confirmation.
(C) The party against whom enforcement is sought admits in its
pleading, testimony, or otherwise in court that a contract was made.
(D) There is a note, memorandum, or other writing sufficient to
indicate that a contract has been made, signed by the party against
whom enforcement is sought or by its authorized agent or broker.
Take your time.
I reckon you are thinking of real estate.
The Uniform
Commercial code only requires " some writing " and "some writing " does not a contract make.
- Although this thread has started to drift away from the original point, IMO your post does illustrate exactly why it is important to keep one eye on the practice as well as the (legal) theory........if your deposit does not come back in full or only in part (even though it should) it don't hurt so much if it is $1000, rather than $25k - as at that point (most) will need to be waiving lawyers (or an axe 
) at the other party (with the bills to match and no guarantee of success - although the axe thing is satisfying).....rather than having the option to just suck it up and move on.
have a problem with no 10% deposit as suggesting a buyer is not serious - but for me if someone is willing to front up any cash (merely as a sign of good faith - not as a commitment), plus is spending cash out of own pocket for travel / 
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