In California, escrow refers to the process where a neutral third party holds onto the funds and legal documents required for a specific transaction until all the terms of the agreement have been met. This is to protect both parties from fraud and to ensure that the transfer of funds and assets goes smoothly.
The Escrow Holder: prepares escrow instructions. requests a preliminary title search to determine the present condition of title to the property. requests a beneficiary's statement if debt or obligation is to be taken over by the buyer. complies with lender's requirements, specified in the escrow agreement.
Cons of escrow High upfront costs: Many escrow accounts require a minimum balance to cover unexpected expenses. You may have to keep an extra two or three months' worth of property taxes and insurance premiums as a cushion, or "escrow reserve."
What is the typical size of an adjustment escrow? A common rule of thumb is 1% of overall deal value, but the size varies depending on deal value and the underlying characteristics of the business (including the net working capital trailing average).
In California, there are two forms of escrow instructions generally employed: bilateral (i.e., executed by and binding on both buyer and seller) and unilateral (i.e., separate instructions executed by the buyer and seller, binding on each).