A purchaser who receives Form AU196.2 should place the full amount of the purchase price into an escrow account. This will allow an escrow to be established if the seller has potential tax obligations.To report a bulk sale, file form C9600 . An escrow agent should provide the parties with a receipt for the escrow property, a copy of the escrow agreement and keep complete and accurate records. Warning: Don't pay the seller until you contact the Tax Department. We'll check to see if the seller owes any taxes. If you pay your taxes through an escrow account, the mortgage company will request your tax bill from our office each year. Information on the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (FIRPTA) and how it affects a foreign person with real property interest. When someone says a home "is in escrow" or "under contract" it generally means that both parties have agreed to a sale and the process is in its final stages. In 1998 field service advice, the Service concluded that payments a seller received under a real estate sales contract were ordinary income.