Earnest Money
A deposit made by a purchaser of real estate to evidence good faith.

Easement
The right, privilege, or interest that one party has in the land of another.

Egress
Access from a land parcel to a public road or other means of exit.

Employment (Payroll)
The number of nonfarm employees on the payrolls of more than 500 private and public industries. Generally issued on the first Friday of the month for the previous month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and one of the most watched economic indicators in the financial markets.

Employment Cost Index
A quarterly index used to gauge the change in the cost of civilian labor. Unlike the average hourly earning measure, the ECI includes salaried workers. Another advantage of the ECI is that changes in the index are independent of shifts in the composition of the workforce (that is, the index is not affected by, say, a surge in the number of lower-paying jobs relative to high-paying jobs because it uses fixed employment weights. Instead, the ECI reflects the change in the employment costs of the same set of jobs). The index has two major components: the wage and salary series and the benefits series. The survey is conducted during pay period including the 12th day of March, June, September and December. The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the results about six to seven weeks after the survey period. The less comprehensive average hourly earnings figure is a more timely indicator, as it's released monthly, usually within a week after month's end.

Encroachment
A building, a part of a building, or an obstruction that physically intrudes upon, overlaps, or trespasses upon the property of another.

Equal Credit Opportunity Act
A federal law, enacted in 1974, to discourage discrimination by lenders on the basis of sex or marital status. Amended in 1976 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, or receipt of public assistance.

Equitable Title
The interest held by one who has agreed to purchase but has not yet closed the transaction.

Equity
The interest or value that the owner has in real estate over and above the liens against it.

Escrow
An agreement between 2 or more parties providing that certain instruments or property be placed with a third party for safekeeping, pending the fulfillment or performance of a specified act or condition.

Escrow Account
Same as trust account.

Escrow Agent
Any person engaged in the business of receiving escrows for deposit or delivery.

Escrow Closing
The same meaning as closing, especially in states where deeds of trust are used instead of mortgages.

Estate
The degree, nature, and extent of interest that a person has in real property.

Existing Home Sales
Based on the number of closings during a particular month. Because of the one-to-two month period between a signed purchase contract and a closing, existing home sales are more influenced by mortgage rates a month or two earlier than the prevailing mortgage rate during the month of closing. New homes sold, on the other hand, are counted when the purchase contract is signed. The reported figure is generally a seasonally adjusted, annual rate. Data are released by the National Association of REALTORS® on the 25th of each month (or the following business day) for the previous month.