For sale by owner (FSBO) escrow
You can sell or buy a home without agents. Escrow works exactly the same: a licensed neutral party holds the money, follows signed instructions, and records the deed. What escrow cannot do is negotiate for you or give legal advice.
What escrow covers in a FSBO
Everything procedural: deposit receipting, title search, payoff demands, prorations, document coordination, notarized signing, funding, and recording. The file runs on the same rails as an agented sale, with the same published fees.
What stays on your plate
Price negotiation, contract terms, and disclosure decisions belong to the buyer and seller. California requires sellers to disclose known material facts; the state’s standard disclosure forms are a good starting point, and a real estate attorney is a smart call for contract questions.
We stay neutral. We can explain what a form does procedurally, but we cannot advise either side what to agree to.
Frequently asked
Can escrow give us the purchase contract?
No. The contract comes from the parties, often with an attorney’s help. Once both sides sign, we open the file from it.
Does FSBO escrow cost less?
The escrow fee is the same published formula. What FSBO saves is commission, which is outside escrow.
Who holds the deposit in a FSBO?
Escrow does, in trust, receipted in writing. Never hand a deposit directly to the other party.
Questions about your file? Ask an officer.
Call (714) 544-6525General information for California consumers, not legal or tax advice. For advice about your situation, talk to your attorney or tax professional.