Earnest money shows you’re serious
Typically when an offer to purchase a house is made, you, as the buyer, will also pay an “earnest money” deposit. This deposit shows the seller that you’re serious about the offer to purchase the property. 

The amount of the earnest money deposit varies based on the type of property being purchased and local market conditions. As your real estate professional, I’ll help you determine the appropriate amount to pay as an earnest money deposit.

The sales contract will dictate who holds the earnest money. Usually the seller’s real estate agent, after mutual acceptance is reached, will deposit the earnest money in a trust or escrow account until closing.  At closing, the earnest money is applied to the purchase price.

In the event the sale does not close, the earnest money would be returned to the buyer, unless the seller has met all the conditions of the contract and the buyer just changed their mind.  Under this condition, the seller is entitled to the earnest money in full.