In Florida you would never send a check unless there was no claim against it, and we do not allow this.We have a 95$ to be retained from security deposit clause for cleaning which must be accepted by the tenant or they don't get the lease.

The sellers (gas company) want to retain the mineral rights and the universal pipeland easement.

You can keep money in the company from earnings as retained earnings but you'll be taxed so no reason to really.

The lender will expect you to have a certain amount of retainability in service, and we had to get a letter from military personnel showing that we had over a year of obligated service left. 

The agreement states that the seller will retain my earnest money if I don't close.

Also, there's a statutory period for which to file and retain low property tax basis.

So, I would have to either promise a fee or to retain their services. 

Retaining money (i.e. 50% rule) wouldn't have helped much.  

Looks good on paper:- owner retains legal title to property -so protected against buyer's default-- buyer pays for property taxes, insurance and maintenance (kinda "triple-net'" on residential)- owner gets down-payment and higher yield, buyer gets non-bank financing -can even be wrapped around existing mortgage so seller can get a margin above original mortgage paymentThat's on paper.

and retained in the file for that property.