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Practice Of Real EstateLicense_lawHARD

Broker Steve operates in Kansas and receives a $12,000 earnest money deposit from a buyer. The purchase contract falls through, and both the buyer and the seller claim the earnest money. Steve is uncertain who is entitled to the funds. Under Kansas law, what is the most appropriate course of action for Steve?

Correct Answer

B) Steve should retain the funds in his trust account and seek written agreement from both parties or pursue interpleader action to resolve the dispute

When there is a disputed earnest money deposit in Kansas, the broker must retain the funds in the trust account and not release them to either party unilaterally. The appropriate resolution is to obtain written mutual agreement from both parties regarding the disposition of the funds, or, if agreement cannot be reached, to file an interpleader action with the court to have a judge determine who is entitled to the funds. This approach protects the broker from liability and complies with Kansas trust account requirements under K.S.A. 58-3034 et seq.

Answer Options
A
Steve should immediately release the funds to the seller because the seller is the listing client and Steve owes them primary loyalty
B
Steve should retain the funds in his trust account and seek written agreement from both parties or pursue interpleader action to resolve the dispute
C
Steve should release the funds to the buyer because the buyer is the party who deposited the earnest money
D
Steve should transfer the funds to KREC, which will hold them until the dispute is resolved by the parties

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Related Topics & Key Terms

Key Terms:

earnest_money_disputetrust_accountinterpleaderbroker_duties

Related Concepts

Florida brokers are required to maintain transaction records and escrow records for a minimum of five years.

A tie-in arrangement is an illegal antitrust practice in which a seller conditions the purchase of one product or service on the buyer's agreement to purchase a separate product or service.

A trust account, also called an escrow account, is a separate bank account maintained by a broker to hold funds belonging to others, such as earnest money deposits, security deposits, or other client funds.

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