What is the meaning of "escrow"?

The meaning of "escrow" refers to a financial arrangement between parties where a third party holds and regulates the payment of the funds required for two parties involved in a transaction. This process is commonly used in real estate transactions to ensure that all conditions of the sale are met before the transfer of funds or assets takes place. The escrow agent acts as a neutral party who takes custody of the funds and documents, disbursing them only when the agreed-upon terms of the contract have been fulfilled. This arrangement provides security and assurance to both the buyer and the seller.

In this context, the other options do not accurately describe escrow. While a loan secured by property is related to financing a purchase, it does not encapsulate the concept of escrow itself. A document signed at closing could be associated with the closing process, but it does not define what escrow means. Similarly, a type of real estate investment does not reflect the transactional and financial management role that escrow plays in real estate dealings.