Wiring funds when buying a home
By Chris Black, Esq.
During the closing process, who doesn’t want to reduce costs and shorten steps whenever possible, right? To this end, many of our customers ask us about wiring funds for both escrow and total closing costs together. This is a great question that likely results from people’s interest in avoiding multiple wire fees or in wanting to avoid multiple trips to the bank. We get it.
Ordinarily, if a consumer wires funds to us, they are charged a fee for that service by their bank. (Note: Winged Foot Title’s current bank does not charge for incoming wires so we do not need to pass along such a charge to the consumer.). And, in most cases, consumers must be physically present at a bank branch in order to initiate the wire. So, we totally understand the desire to avoid additional fees and trips to the bank. From our perspective, a buyer client who is paying cash for real property in Florida could certainly wire their earnest money simultaneously with what they estimate to be the required amount due at closing. Here are a couple of things to consider when doing so.
First, please notify us of your intent to wire the funds together so that we may account for them properly. Along those same lines, your notification should specify the amounts and their intended use. For example, if your earnest money requirement is $1,000 and you wire $125,000, please make sure that you communicate to us how the wire should be applied.
Second, it will be difficult or impossible to have an exact amount required for closing at the time your earnest money is due under the terms of your contract. That would require you to send an estimated amount, which if more than necessary we would refund or if less than necessary would require an additional wire transfer for the amounts outstanding.
Lastly, you should discuss your intent with your legal counsel or REALTOR®. There are potential issues with wiring all of your funds at one time and they may advise against it.
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