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…
