• Real Estate

    Can a Seller Keep a Buyer’s Earnest Money?

    Seller keep earnest money Ohio: A seller may keep earnest money only when the agreement and law permit it, such as an enforceable liquidated-damages provision following the buyer’s uncured breach. A penalty or ambiguous remedy may not be enforced as assumed. Real-estate disputes often turn on a few words in a contract, deed, disclosure, survey, or recorded instrument. The practical facts matter too: who gave notice, what the parties knew, whether deadlines were met, and what reliable records show. This guide explains the general Ohio framework in plain language, but individual documents and county practices can change the result. In this guide Seller keep earnest money Ohio: the short answer…