Estate Questions and Answer
2026
RealBestateBescrowBaccountsB-
BAnswerBholdBmoneyBonBbehalfBofBothers.BThisBincludesBbuyers'BearnestBmoneyBdep
osits,BrentalBsecurityBdeposits,BandBanyBotherBfundsBbeingBheldBinBtrust.
TheBaccountBinBwhichBthisBmoneyBisBdepositedBmustBbeB-
BAnswerBseperateBfromBtheBbroker'sBgeneralBoperatingBaccount
WhatBdoBbuyersBofferBtoBshowBtheyBareBseriousBaboutBaBproperty?B-
BAnswerBearnestBmoney
earnestBmoneyBisB-
BAnswerBcreditedBtoBtheBpurchaseBpriceBofBtheBproperty,BitBmayBasBwellBcompensate
BtheBsellerBifBtheBbuyerBbreachesBtheBcontract.
LicenseesBmustBturnBoverBtrustBmoniesBtoBtheB-
BAnswerBbrokerB(whoBisBultimatelyBresponsibleBforBtheBmoney)
IfBtheBtransactionBgoesBtoBclosing,BtheBescrowBagentB-
BAnswerBdisbursesBescrowBfundsBwhenBallBpartiesBtoBtheBtransaction,BincludingBtheBl
ender,BareBsatisfiedBthatBallBconditionsBhaveBbeenBmet.
IfBtheBtransactionBdoesBnotBgoBtoBclosing,BtheBescrowBagentBneedsB-
BAnswerBwrittenBdirectionsBfromBbothBpartiesBindicatingBhowBtoBdisburseBtheBfunds.B
InBtheBabsenceBofBagreement,BstateBlawsBdictateBhowBfundsBshouldBbeBhandled.
ComminglingB-
BAnswerBwhenBtrustB(escrow)BfundsBareBmixedBwithBpersonalBorBbrokerageBfirmBfund
s.
, ConversionB-
BAnswerBusingBtrustBfundsBforBanythingBotherBthanBtheirBintendedBpurpose.
FairBHousingBLawsB-BAnswerBdesignedBtoBprotectBcitizensBfromBdiscrimination
TheBOfficeBofBFairBHousingBandBEqualBOpportunityB-BAnswerBEnforcesBfederalBfair-
housingBlaws
WhatBareBtheBsevenBprotectedBclassesB-
BAnswerBRace,Bcolor,Breligion,Bsex,Bdisability,BfamilialBstatus,BandBnationalBorigin.
CivilBRightsBActBofB1866B-
BAnswerBprohibitsBhousingBdiscriminationBbasedBonBraceBorBcolor
FairBHousingBAct.B-
BAnswerBprohibitsBhousingBdiscriminationBbasedBonBrace,Bcolor,BnationalBorigin,BandBr
eligion
HousingBandBCommunityBDevelopmentBActBofB1974B-
BAnswerBaddedBsexBtoBtheBlistBofBprotectedBclasses
EqualBCreditBOpportunityBActB(ECOA)BofB1974B-
BAnswerBrequiresBlendersBtoBgiveBconsumersBequalBaccessBtoBcredit.BTheBactBprohibit
sBdiscriminationBbasedBonBrace,Bcolor,Breligion,BnationalBorigin,Bsex,BmaritalBstatus,Bor
Bage
FairBHousingBAmendmentsBActofB1988B-
BAnswerBextendedBfairBhousingBprotectionBtoBcoverBfamilialBstatusBandBdisabilityBand
BprovidesBremediesBtoBvictimsBofBhousingBdiscrimination.