If number 2 does not answer to your satisfaction then tell them you will be calling their state real estate commission about what happened with your earnest money.If the REALTOR is holding your check or misplaced it they are not supposed to do that and it should be a real estate commission violation.

While deeds may be escrowed, more often than not they are misplaced over the years.

Someone putting down the exact same 20% Down Payment may Cash flow the Investment while another will not because of their low income and Credit Scores, causing the Interest Rates to Jump.Personally, I believe the emphasis on the Investment is misplaced.

I misplaced the decimal point and cut my debt/year in half.

Also curious to know what happened to the squatters and how you handled it.I am assuming they were not too happy with being misplaced, so what did you do, to ensure they did not take it out on you and your property?

@Ian JacksonThe two things I hear most now are, (1) overreliance on the MLS to look for deals, and (2) a misplaced certainty that this is all about numbers.1. 

I asked this in another section, but it may be misplaced since it really is a marketing question:I spoke to a homeowner today who has a small (900sqft) home for sale that needs about 15k-20k in repairs by my quick estimate ($20 per sqft).

I know I can easily misplace or forget these numbers if I don't record them quickly. 

You also may be able to take the bricks out that are misplaced and re-install them .

Usually when they make it on there , they are misplaced themselves ( i.e. vacant land, multi fam, etc) .