Paying and not getting the house
The buyer's money doesn't move until the seller's side is done and the deed is ready.
Escrow
The neutral hand in the middle.
In a transaction this size, no party releases funds or property until they know the other side has done their part. A neutral party holds the money and the documents and releases them only once every condition is met.
Escrow walkthrough
What it protects you from
Nobody hands over money on a promise.
Signing over the house and not getting paid
The seller doesn't give up the property until the buyer's funds are in.
A dispute over the deposit
Earnest money sits with a neutral party, not with the buyer, the seller or either agent.
What gets held
Every dollar, accounted for.
Earnest money
The buyer's good-faith deposit. Held in a separate trust account and applied to the purchase at closing.
Option fee
Paid for the right to back out during the option period. Released to the seller and credited to the buyer at closing.
Closing funds
The buyer's down payment and the lender's loan money, held until everything is signed and ready.
Payoffs and proceeds
Old loans get paid off, and the seller's proceeds are sent the day the deal funds.
How it works
From deposit to funded.
- 01
The deposit
The buyer drops off or wires the earnest money and option fee. Your Texas contract gives you 3 days.
- 02
The hold
The money sits in a trust account while the contract works: inspections, appraisal, the loan and the title work.
- 03
The release
At closing every dollar goes where the settlement statement says. If the deal ends, it moves only on a release both sides sign.
Before you send money
Call before you wire. Every time.
Wire instructions will never change by email. Before you send money, call your escrow officer at a number you already know and confirm the instructions out loud.
What people ask
Straight Answers.
It stays put until the buyer and seller both sign a release, or a court decides. The title company holds it but can't pick a side.