Cash to Close

Cash to close is the total amount a buyer must pay at closing to complete the purchase. It is the down payment plus the buyer's closing costs, minus the loan amount and any credits, including the earnest money already deposited.

Take a $500,000 home with a $400,000 loan. The buyer owes $100,000 down plus closing costs. If they already paid $10,000 in earnest money, that amount comes off the total, and seller credits or lender credits reduce it further.

The final figure appears on the Closing Disclosure, in a table that lists the deposit as its own line. If your deposit is missing there, ask the escrow holder before closing day. More on this in what happens to earnest money at closing.