{"id":3581,"date":"2026-06-16T03:40:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T07:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ibuyer.com\/blog\/?p=3581"},"modified":"2026-06-16T03:41:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T07:41:24","slug":"good-earnest-money-deposit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ibuyer.com\/blog\/good-earnest-money-deposit\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Earnest Money Deposit: How Much?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A good earnest money deposit is typically 1% to 3% of the home’s purchase price<\/strong>, also called a good faith deposit<\/strong>, submitted by the buyer with an offer to purchase a home. On a $300,000 home, that works out to $3,000 to $9,000. On a $400,000 home, expect $4,000 to $12,000. The exact earnest money deposit amount depends on your local market conditions and how competitive your offer needs to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deciding how much earnest money to offer is one of the first financial decisions in any home purchase. In a buyer’s market, 1% to 2% of the purchase price is usually enough. In a seller’s market, 3% to 5% or more has become the expected floor in many metro areas. Some sellers request flat-dollar deposits of $5,000 to $10,000 regardless of price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide covers what earnest money is and how it works, how to calculate the right deposit amount for your home price and market type, who holds your funds and when, how contingencies protect your deposit if a deal falls apart, and when you can lose it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earnest Money Deposit<\/h2>