When you make an offer on a house, it is accompanied by an earnest money check. Earnest money is intended to demonstrate that you are "in earnest" about purchasing the property. The earnest money check is made out to the listing company. What happens to this check?

The party holding the check acts as an escrow agent until you go into closing. At that time you will receive credit for the amount of your check against the down payment and closing costs. Real estate brokers are required by law to keep escrow funds in a special account. These funds cannot be used to pay any other expenses associated with the sale. If you don't complete the transaction, the purchase contract determines the disposition of your earnest money funds. Be sure to review this part of your contract with the real estate agent.

If you are in default on your agreement, the funds may go to the sellers, so be sure that you understand the deadlines in order to avoid breach of contract and forfeiture of your deposit. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your real estate agent for advice.

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Jane Johnson
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors
1010 Stony Hill Road
Yardley, PA. 19067
Phone: (215) 504-7500 X7557
Fax: (215) 504-1794
Email: janejohnson@NUMBER1EXPERT.com

Working hard to help homebuyers and homesellers realize their dream is my goal. Loving my job is KEY to providing the top-notch service you expect, and the highest net profit YOU DESERVE! Your real estate transaction represents your most valued financial asset. Why not let my Value Creation Specialist skills work towards your home buying and selling needs? Prudential also leads the industry in advertising and marketing with more print, photo, and Internet advertising than any other agency. At PaHomeCatcher.com, featured listings are promoted on a network of the most visited home search web sites such as NUMBER1EXPERT.com ,123Movers.com, RealEstateABC.com and many more. I also have an "Enhanced Listing Feature" option through Realtor.com so that my listings are guaranteed to get unlimited description space, additional photos, and scrolling text headlines! Being an Accredited Home Staging Realtor also provides you with a valuable service. Staged homes help homeowners prepare their homes for sale to realize the highest price in the shortest amount of time possible! Did you know that homes that are professionally staged get 7 to 10% more than asking price with an average listing period of 10 to 14 days? As a Luxury Home Specialist, I provide an excellent array of Fine Home Marketing options as well as knowing the Luxury Home market in Bucks County. Fine Homes will continually be featured on PaHomeCatcher for the Luxury Home buyer. So be it a historical home, a waterfront property, a town home, a rancher, a classic colonial, a contemporary, or an investment property, get EXCEPTIONAL services in Beautiful Bucks County to catch your next purchase or sale!

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