How can a properties developer keep money outside the trust account (escrow)?

Question

as i'm making some researchs on the escrow account applications in real estate market, i'd like to know:
is there is any idea of how can a real estae developer keep a part of the purchase outside the escrow account?
for example: can the developer make a membership card (used one time) allows the purchaser to get a 10% discount of the purchase price, while the actual price of the card will be more than this as the card gives the purchaser other benifits (free nights in hotels, ruffle on a car, ...)...
also if you have any other ideas plz explain them.
thanx in advance...

Answer 1

Incentives such as you describe are one way to do what you mention. However, if the value of the incentives gets too large in relation to the price of the house, a developer is risking loan fraud.

As an example, were a developer to offer something such as a fully paid cruise around the world on a luxury liner, THAT would qualify as fraud, since that act would, in essence, give the buyer a $20,000 cruise which would be financed on a mortgage.