Fred Griffin When I had my company I had an escrow account and held the funds until disbursement inaccordance with escrow laws. State law requires the funds to be deposited within five business days unless otherwise agreed to in writing.

When I represent a buyer, our Brokerage holds it.  

Listing office holds EM. Must be processed within 24 hours of receipt in IL.

we never touch it, it goes straight to the escrow/title company

Escrow deposits are wired into the closing attorney's escrow account. We do not accept checks, cash, or sheep as deposits.

Title company holds all funds and disperses all funds..I like it that way!!

on resale homes, we usually hold the deposit.... on new construction, either the seller's attorney or the real estate office will hold it....I do have one builder who not only holds it but uses it ..... we sold the entire subdivision that way.... 25 active adult community homes.....

Fred, it goes from my hand to the designated closing or title agent in the shortest time possible. It's too hot to fool around with OPM these days. 

Goes to the title company.

Both, but most times the buyers Broker holds it.

In Wisconsin, it goes in the brokers trust account.

Usually the buyer wires it to escrow but if if we get a personal check the title company's courier picks it up. We don't hold any deposits.

Buyers typically wire funds or deliver check to escrow holder within three business days after acceptance.  

They are held in my company trust account that I am required by state law to have for this reason

Check or wire to escrow company to hold.  No funds of any kind held in house ever (we could legally do so,  just lots of extra admin).

Our Brokerage has always held it until 24 hours before closing. I like having control over it.

In North and South Carolina, typically held by one of the brokerages. Every so often a small independent brokerage who doesn't maintain a trust account will place the money with the closing attorney. More often they give it to the agent with the firm that has a trust account. Many attorneys in town charge money to take an earnest money deposit and hold it; they just don't want to do the accounting for it.

I use a title company for convenience!

Hello Fred.  We give to Title with our broker still being responsible.  Mark

Fred Griffin the listing office usually holds the escrow money.

The Brokerage has a special Earnest money account.

In Indiana the Listing Brokerage is responsible for the EM.  We have an account for other peoples money.

In Illinois, we are not an escrow state.  The listing agency typically holds the earnest money... and that check, by law, must be deposited by close of the following business day.

They go to escrow.

I turn it in to my broker who desposits it into an escrow account if I am working with the buyer.

Title company holds earnest money.

with rare seller demands that cause me to do something out the norm, my brokerage holds EMD for the buyer in a trust account.

In the 2 states that I work in, generally the listing agent's brokerage holds the money.  The title company usually just subtracts it out of the commission check it cuts.

In our area, most brokers will not hold escrow deposits so they go to title companies.

Always into escrow ... funds are either delivered by check or wired to escrow.

Usually the Listing Broker holds the Earnest Deposit until closing .

Our Brokerage holds it.

Our brokerage does not have a trust account. Once we are in escrow buyer funds, per the contract, are to be delivered, usually by wire, to escrow within 3 business days

Whenever I can I have the buyer deposit it with the escrow agent or closing attorney. It is easier for all concerned.

Good morning Fred,

To the Real Estate Title Attorney Company:)

Fred - The earnest money is deposited with title and escrow company upon contract acceptance.

All earnest monies go the title company.

Here in NH it is held in the listing brokers escrow account

My office let's the title company hold the check. 

The buyers agent brokerage usually holds it, and then brings to the closing.

Either way will work in our market. Most of the deposits are held in the escrow account of the broker.

In Indiana the listing office holds it until closing.  

made out to escrow....

I actually prefer to make it a Contract provision that Buyer wires or overnights EMD to escrow so it arrives by the 3rd business day following execution. We do not hold client's money, and I don't want it going into escrow till we have a deal. It's too easy to wire, anyway, and clients usually prefer it as do our title companies. We don't use attorneys.

Title company

The escrow deposit is held by who ever the contract of sale dictates to hold it.

Deposited with Title & Escrow.

Listing office holds in an escrow account most of the time . 

The title company. Almost all of my business is out of state investors so wire transfers to the cloisng company makes s]ense, and it eliminates extra paperwork required by the state for trust accounts.

Earnest money is held by the title companies in our area.

 Good morning Fred Griffin . I handle artists money carefully, very carefully!

I try to have the buyer deliver the deposit to escrow which is the default on our purchase contracts.   

Deposits are given to the party identified in the contract.

Emd due within 3 days of signed contract. I will provide wireing instructions.

I usually have the title company hold the escrow.  That way, if I forget to order the check from our admin, there's not problem.