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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The Danley - Golding Jones Team
Sotheby's International Realty
200 Clocktower Suite 100D
Carmel, CA 93923
831-601-5355
Fax: 831-855-0210
christinadanley@NUMBER1EXPERT.com

Christina has been a broker associate since 1987. She values her clients and makes their needs and their investment's potential the priority. She has listed and sold single-family homes and condominiums throughout the Monterey County area and specializes in Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Carmel Valley and Monterey. Christina earned the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation, which distinguishes a higher level of education in real estate and a professional affiliation affording up-to-the-minute industry information and local market knowledge. She is the proud receiver of the John Leo Award, in recognition of top sales volume within the Monterey County Association of Realtors, for 1998. Her background includes 20 years of management in the hotel and restaurant business as well. She holds a lifetime limited service credential for California Community Colleges and was honored with the Papa Vince award for excellence in hospitality. Courtney was born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula. She attended local schools Santa Catalina Lower School and Robert Louis Stevenson Upper School. She has always been surrounded by real estate as her mother, Stacey Golding, worked for the Mitchell Group (now Sotheby's) and her husband is a commercial real estate agent. Courtney attended Santa Clara University, graduating Cum Laude with a major in finance and a minor in art history. She then spent the next 8 years in San Francisco working as a finance and accounting recruiter for a nationwide firm, Kforce Professional Staffing. She was a top producer for the company, consistently achieving platinum status.

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