![]() |
Real Estate Information |
|
Good Faith Deposit - Real Estate Transactions
In a real estate transaction, a touchy issue is how much trust the seller has in a buyer. The existence of a good faith deposit helps put a seller at rest. Good Faith Deposit If you are selling your home, condominium or other real estate, you should always require a buyer to make a good faith deposit. The good faith deposit simply establishes that the buyer is serious and, to some extent, has the financial capacity to follow through on the purchase. The amount of the good faith deposit is dependent upon the agreed sale price of the real estate. Although percentages vary from state to state, a cash deposit equal to three percent of the sales price is typical. For instance, the deposit would be $9,000 for home selling at a price of $300,000. As with most transactions, this percentage is negotiable. I don't recommend that you accept anything less than two percent. Once the buyer and seller agree to the amount of the good faith deposit, you have to figure out what to do with the deposit. Importantly, the seller should not hold the deposit as doing so could make the buyer very uncomfortable. Instead, the money should be deposited with a third party and held "in trust." Potential third parties include escrow and title insurance companies as well as an attorney if your state requires their involvement. A good faith deposit acts like an insurance option for a seller. Moving through escrow can take 30 to 60 days, during which the property is off the market. The good faith deposit essentially compensates the seller for this time in the event the buyer is unable to follow through on the purchase of the property. Depending on the laws in your state, a buyer who can't close will lose the deposit. Typically, the only exception to this is when the seller allows language indicating the deposit will be returned if the buyer can't get a home loan. Of course, including such language can open the seller up to repeated frustration when bad credit buyers repeatedly fail to get funding. Good faith deposits are a fundamental part of a real estate transaction. Buyers should expect to pay them and sellers should demand them. Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - providing homes for sale by owner, "FSBO", properties. Are you thinking, "Should I sell my home?" Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to sell your home sale for free for one month.
MORE RESOURCES: Abiqua Falls in Oregon Draws a State Offer After Listing on Real Estate Site The New York Times After 20 years, 300-acre Port Crossing Commerce Center starts construction on final phase The Business Journals Hamptons Fatigue Fuels North Fork Real Estate Boom: Inside the New Hot Spot for Billionaire Buyers Realtor.com Three Churches Transformed Into Homes for Sale The New York Times RI Real Estate Market Is Seeing Some Significant Changes Go Local Prov In Chicago, an Eye-Catching Renovation Drenched With Color The New York Times Peter Thiel warned real estate ‘catastrophe’ will deal massive blow to young Americans. Is his prediction coming true? Yahoo Finance San Antonio shopping center drew more people than any other Texas retail site San Antonio Express-News 8 Best Places for Baby Boomers to Live in the U.S., According to Real Estate Experts Travel + Leisure Zillow reveals huge housing market, mortgage rate shift thestreet.com Tiverton home with private beach access sells for $1M: Weekly home sales Fall River Herald News See photos of this house for sale in South Yarmouth Cape Cod Times Pender County approves new sand mine despite resident concerns Wilmington Star-News Local residential real estate sales, average prices both down in February Moody on the Market Timeless cape in Taunton sold for over $500K: Weekly home sales Taunton Daily Gazette The daily habit that took this agent from 8 to 82 deals in one year Inman Real Estate News JP Group Named Exclusive Real Estate Partner of Chicago Fire FC chicagofirefc.com Berks County real estate transactions for March 15 Reading Eagle Sarasota waterfront home with downtown skyline views sells for $14.75M Sarasota Herald-Tribune Why Brokerage Marketing Needs Systems Inman Real Estate News South Yarmouth home for sale is an 'opportunity-type house' Cape Cod Times How Compass is laying groundwork for Anywhere tech migration Inman Real Estate News Nomura Real Estate Securities Fund Q4 2025 Commentary Seeking Alpha Who Are the HENRYs? The High-Earning Gen Z and Millennials Redefining Luxury Real Estate Realtor.com Retail Center in San Gabriel Valley Sells for $26M Los Angeles Business Journal Springfield's Comfort Inn & Suites sells for more than $7M The State Journal-Register This $2M Van Meter 'oasis' combines country escape, East Coast touches The Des Moines Register Westside Office Asset Trades for $38 Million Los Angeles Business Journal Real estate listing sparks backlash after side-by-side photos surface: 'Should probably be illegal' The Cool Down Kitsap retail center underway at McCormick Seattle DJC.com Check out this Van Meter 'oasis', with brick archways on four acres The Des Moines Register See inside a Sarasota waterfront home that sold for $14.75M: photos Sarasota Herald-Tribune Ensuring safer drinking water Washington Blade Family-owned real estate firm made Detroit investments at key moments Detroit Free Press Let 'The Broke Agent' save you from boring real estate content Inman Real Estate News This Safeway on S.F. Peninsula is next up for a big housing project by Align Real Estate San Francisco Chronicle How oil prices affect commercial real estate Orange County Register CU Real Estate Forum Offers First Look at Sundance Film Festival in Boulder University of Colorado Boulder OT Real Estate Spotlight of the Week: 3501 Idle Hour Court The Owensboro Times What sold last week? Real estate transfers, March 9 to 13 Community Advocate Nicolas Cage just bought a new 2-unit luxury condo for $6.5 million in a coveted Manhattan building MarketWatch Real Estate Agents Report Rise in Mexicans Self-Deporting and Seeking To Rent Homes in Tijuana Latin Times Real Estate: John M. Lee Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon Welcome to Real Estate Friday! The Berkshire Edge Majority shareholder acquires shares in Krona Public Real Estate for SEK 0.2 million marketscreener.com Alan Faena, the Argentine real estate developer who wants to turn around New York’s West Chelsea district EL PAÍS English PST: We need to talk about SF real estate The San Francisco Standard RNR Real Estate Briefs – Texas & more Realty News Report Michigan's Largest Real Estate & Home Improvement Show FOX 2 Detroit Real estate sales in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford counties for March 14, 2026 Peoria Journal Star |
RELATED ARTICLES
Purchase Online Tenancy Agreements Buy an on-line Tenancy Agreement now. As a landlord and also as a tenant it is important that there is a comprehensive tenancy agreement in place to protect both parties. How to Calculate Real Estate Rehab Profits If you are investing in real estate you will face a variety of challenges. First you have to find the right property. Do You Speak Real Estate? Anyone interested in real estate should be able to talk the talk. Here is a list of common phrases and words with ashort explanation. Interior Design Secrets for Selling Houses New concepts in Interior Design Psychology are helping home sellers net more money in today's competitive real estate market. Therefore, it's worthwhile to spend time planning the changes that will help your home sell for the highest price. Raising Money For Property Development In addition to finding the right property, one of the most difficult aspects of property development is being able to fund the purchase and re-development of the property before putting it back on the market.Many would-be property developers have the skills and flair for property development, but lack the financial clout to put these into practice. How To Create A House Buying Wish List For Your Dream Home Buying a house is one of the most exciting things you will ever do. But there are LOTS of little details involved - details which can be very costly if they are overlooked. Finding the Right Real Estate Agent:: A Guide for Seniors When considering buying or selling a home, seniors have a special set of needs that may not apply to others in the real estate market. The first time home buyer has a certain set of needs. Top 7 Reasons Why FSBOs Fail To Sell Their Home On Their Own! In the United States, less than 10% of all For Sale by Owners (FSBOs), are successful in selling their home by themselves. That*s because most people just give up because they don*t realize from the beginning the difficulty and complexity of the job ahead. What is a Home Inspection? Any Sally and Sam Homebuyer can look at a home and decide whether it is attractive. They might notice it is freshly painted in pleasing colors, has the requisite number of rooms, a cook's kitchen and is located in a location with top schools. Using Color Psychology to Sell Your Home When painting your home for resale, choosing the right colors can make a huge difference in your paycheck at closing. For instance, did you know that the exterior color of houses selling most quickly is a certain shade of yellow, but that choosing the wrong shade of yellow can kill a sale?You'll find many brochures in paint stores, showing various combinations of exterior paint colors. Selling Your Own Home - Pet Issues If you are selling you own home, you need to consider the effect of pets. People who are working with a real estate broker are sure to get coached about the potential negative effect of pets. The UK has Gone Property TV Show Crazy! The UK has gone property TV crazy. There are now shows about developing, buying, doing up and selling your home on every channel nearly every day. You Have 15 Seconds to Sell Your Home! 11 Steps You Can Take to Sell Your Home for Top Dollar Selling your home? Here are some suggestions to help you sell yours for more than your next door neighbor's, and faster! Most buyers will know within 15 SECONDS after crossing the threshold if they want your home. But first, you need to attract them inside!11 steps to take to sell your home for top dollar1. Big Discounts With Property Investment Clubs? A stagnant stock market, low interest rates and booming property prices over recent years have lead to more and more personal investors deciding to join property investment clubs.Property investment clubs are organisations that either buy property in volume and resell it to their members at discount prices or negotiate the purchase of large numbers of properties from developers, again ensuring discounted prices. Green Building Media Fact Sheet - Past, Present & Future PastSpecialized, niche home builders began constructing resource-efficient, environmentally sensitive homes in the early 1970s. The home building industry coined the phrase "green building" in the late 1980s/early 1990s, turning a movement into a quiet revolution. Is a Vacation Home Right for You? Many of us dream about owning the vacation home in the Mountains, or on the Lake or Ocean. A place where one can retreat periodically from the hustle-bustle of everyday life. Real Estate Development Feasibility Study (Income) - $1.2 Billion Developer Tells You How To Do One There are two sides to a feasibility study and in an earlier article I discussed the cost side of the format and:Now Let's Discuss The Income SideWithout the Sales Income, All You've Done Is Spend Money, And Anyone Can Do That.So that we are clear in what I am going to define for you, let me say that there are two forms of Income. How to Prequalify a Buyer When You Sell Your Home By Owner One questions many "for sale by owner" sellers ask is "how can I determine if a potential buyer can afford to buy my house?" In the real estate industry this is referred to as "pre-qualifying" a buyer. You might think this is a complex process but in reality it is actually quite simple and only involves a little math. Searching For Maui Beachfront Houses? Who wouldn't want to move into a Maui beachfront house?From the custom architectural jobs done on many Maui homes,to the beautiful beaches and other natural attractions inMaui, you're bound to find something you will love aboutMaui beachfront houses. However, like any home buyingprocess, you'll need to make sure several things are inorder before you make your move into your new Mauibeachfront house. Achieving Positive Cash Flow from Your Real Estate Investments Even if you're counting on rising property values to eventually make a profit on an investment property, it's far more desirable to have a positive cash flow each month. If you're losing money on a property every month, it may not take long until your future profits will have been lost. |
| home | site map |
| © 2006 TIGER MEDIA |