No. Earnest-money escrow holds a purchase deposit under the sales contract, while mortgage escrow collects money for expenses such as property taxes and insurance. The same word describes two different jobs.

Before closing: the buyer may deposit earnest money with the holder identified in the purchase agreement. The money is held and released according to the contract and applicable rules. At a successful closing, it is generally credited toward the buyer's down payment or closing costs. Whether it is returned after a cancellation depends on the contract and circumstances, not simply on the buyer requesting it. The NAR earnest-money guide explains this part of the transaction.

With the mortgage: an escrow account may collect part of each monthly payment so the servicer can pay specified bills when due. The CFPB's mortgage escrow explanation covers property taxes and insurance. Those amounts can change as the underlying expenses change.

For example, a buyer might place a $5,000 earnest-money deposit before closing and later pay $350 each month into mortgage escrow. The $5,000 should be accounted for in the transaction's closing figures; the $350 serves future property bills. These amounts are hypothetical and are not recommended deposit or escrow levels.

When someone asks for an escrow payment, ask which account they mean, who holds the funds and where the amount appears in the documents. Review any initial mortgage escrow deposit on the closing statement separately from the credit for earnest money.

Our brokerage and escrow guide connects this distinction with a broker's responsibilities. Identifying the purpose first makes the paperwork much easier to follow.