If you are about to make your first offer in Johnston and the term earnest money came up, here is a plain answer to what it is and how much is normal.
Earnest money is a good-faith deposit you put down when your offer is accepted, to show the seller you are serious. It is not an extra fee. It is your money, applied toward your down payment and closing costs at the finish line. In the Johnston market it is commonly around one percent of the price, though it varies, and the amount itself sends a small signal about how confident your offer is.
Here is the trade-off to understand. Signal versus exposure. A healthy earnest deposit makes your offer look stronger and more credible to a seller, which can matter in a competitive situation. But it is also money at stake, so the real protection is not a small deposit, it is keeping the right contingencies in place. If you cancel for a reason your contract allows, like an inspection or financing contingency, you typically get your earnest money back. If you walk for a reason the contract does not protect, you can lose it.
That is the line that matters: removing a contingency does not remove risk, it transfers risk to you. Waive the wrong protection to make your offer look strong, and your earnest money is what is on the line if something goes sideways.
What I typically see is that first-time buyers worry about the size of the deposit when they should be focused on the terms around it. A reasonable deposit plus the right contingencies is a strong, safe offer. A big deposit with protections stripped out is just exposure dressed up as confidence.
Before we write your Johnston offer, I will walk you through exactly how your earnest money is protected and when it is at risk, so you are never guessing.
For the full picture on how offers and deposits actually work, my Buyer Encyclopedia breaks it down: https://rem.ax/4uKFip4
Written by Jason Huffey, REALTOR with RE/MAX Revolution (License S73436000), serving Johnston and the greater Des Moines metro. Call or text (515) 606-1227. The Best Is Yet To Come.
