What is the deposit and who holds it in Sandy Springs?

Earnest money in a Sandy Springs purchase is a deposit made when the contract is signed to show the buyer's good faith, and it is held in escrow by a neutral third party, typically the closing attorney's office, rather than by the seller or either agent directly. It gets applied toward the buyer's closing costs or down payment at closing, or returned if the buyer walks away for a reason the contract protects. Georgia requires a licensed attorney to handle the closing, and that attorney's escrow account is the standard place earnest money sits until then. Joel Boss makes sure this is set up correctly on every contract.