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What is Escrow?

Your guide to a secure and smooth transaction.

The Role of a Neutral Third Party

Escrow is a neutral third-party service that ensures a safe and fair transfer of funds and documents between buyers, sellers, and lenders. Best Escrow Company, LLC protects all parties throughout the process.

If you’re not from Ohio, there’s a good chance that ‘Escrow’ is unfamiliar to you. In other parts of the country it is not unusual to have attorneys handle Real Estate documents and for all parties to get together for a ‘Round Table Closing’ where money and deeds are exchanged. In Ohio transactions are handled through a third-party ‘Escrow’ company.

Escrow provides assurance to all parties that the transaction is a legal one and that all funds and papers are handled safely and impartially. Escrow receives instructions from the principals to the transaction (escrow cannot draw up any document without instructions from the principals) and then collects the signatures and funds from all parties in order for the transaction be completed as agreed.

In order to qualify for a license, an escrow office must be run by an escrow manager with five years’ experience as an escrow officer. This means that the professional manager overseeing your transaction has gained expertise honed by in-depth training. As well, a licensed escrow company must post substantial surety bonds and acquire fidelity insurance that is impossible for non-licenses by the Department of Business Oversight companies to purchase.

The Escrow Process Explained

A step-by-step overview of a typical real estate transaction.

  1. Open Escrow

    Buyer and Seller agree on terms and open an escrow account.

  2. Deposit Funds

    The buyer deposits their earnest money into the secure escrow account.

  3. Contingency Period

    Inspections, appraisals, and loan approvals are completed.

  4. Document Signing

    All parties sign the necessary loan and title documents.

  5. Funding & Recording

    The lender funds the loan, and the deed is recorded with the county.

  6. Closing

    Funds are disbursed, and ownership is officially transferred. You get the keys!