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During escrow for a residential property in Pasadena, the buyer and seller provide separate, conflicting escrow instructions regarding who pays for the home warranty. The escrow officer notices the discrepancy. Under California escrow law, what should the escrow officer do?

Correct Answer

D) Notify both parties of the conflict and refuse to proceed on that item until they reach a mutual agreement

Under California escrow law, the escrow officer must follow only mutually agreed-upon instructions. When conflicting instructions are received, the escrow officer cannot independently resolve the dispute. The officer must notify both parties of the discrepancy and wait for mutual instructions before proceeding. The escrow holder has a fiduciary duty to both parties and cannot favor one over the other.

Answer Options
A
Follow the seller's instructions because the seller is the property owner
B
Follow the buyer's instructions because the buyer is putting up the money
C
Split the cost equally between buyer and seller as a default solution
D
Notify both parties of the conflict and refuse to proceed on that item until they reach a mutual agreement

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

escrowconflicting_instructionsescrow_officer_dutiesneutral_party
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