Deposits & escrow

To bid on many lots you place a deposit — a refundable sum that shows you're serious and able. It's held in a segregated escrow account, not by the seller, and it never mixes with anyone's operating funds.

If you don't win, the deposit is released back to you automatically. If you win, it counts toward the purchase price and is only released to the seller's side as the sale completes at the notary. That protects both parties.

• Deposits sit in escrow, separate and secure.
• Non-winners are refunded automatically after the close.
• The winner's deposit is applied to the final price.

General information, not legal advice.