
Loan Programs for Teachers in DC

Earnest money deposits (EMD’s) are an often-discussed and misunderstood part of real estate transactions. Also known as an escrow deposit, an earnest money deposit shows a buyer’s interest in a property when they make an offer. The potential buyer will write a check either to their real estate agent’s brokerage or to a title company of their choice. The amount of the earnest money deposit is up to the buyer, but it is usually 2.5%-3% of the purchase price. For example, Capital Park Realty recently closed on two properties: one with a purchase price of $585,000 and one with a price of $365,000. For both, the earnest money deposit was $20,000, or 3.4% for the $585,000 property and 5.5% for the $365,000 property. As you can see, it is not uncommon for the…
Washington DC transfer and recordation taxes are part of your closing costs when buying or selling real estate. Payment of Washington DC transfer and recordation taxes are typically split between buyer and seller. Make sure you carefully exam your contract regarding who is paying the Washington DC transfer and recordation taxes. Purchasers often ask the seller to pay part or all of their Washington DC transfer and recordation taxes. Your lender should provide you with an estimated costs of closing. The HUD-1 should be reviewed thoroughly before settlement to understand who is paying for these closing costs. You can review a blank HUD-1 here. The taxes will be written into your HUD-1 on lines 1201 through 1206 and you can review this at the time of…