What is escrow? The third party is there to make sure everything during the closing proceeds smoothly, including the transfers of money and documents. Escrow protects all the relevant parties by ensuring that no funds and property change hands until all conditions in the agreement have been met. In the home-buying process, escrow is a secure holding area where important items (like the earnest money check and contracts) are kept safe until the deal is closed and the house officially changes hands. Whether you are the buyer, seller, lender or borrower, you want the assurance that no funds or property will change hands until all of the instructions in the transaction have been followed. The escrow holder has the obligation to safeguard the funds and/or documents while they are in the possession of the escrow holder, and to disburse funds and/or convey title only when all provisions of the escrow have been …show more content…
Individual states do not regulate escrow fees. These fees will vary depending on the costs of producing the service, any potential liability and possible overhead expenses that may involve a profit factor. The escrow officer can provide a closing cost estimate at the beginning of the transaction to both the buyer and the seller. This will show the seller how much their approximate net proceeds would be, as well as what they could expect to pay