Hi Angie,

When you say "waiting for the approval" do you mean the seller's signature on the contract or on your mortgage approval? If the seller never signed the contract and your deadline for acceptance has passed, you don't have a contract and your hand money should be returned, unless there is something more to this deal than normal. If you are referring to mortgage approval, then you may have breached the contract and your hand money may be at risk. As Karen stated, you should definitely get a copy of your contract and have your agent explain the situation to you. If you feel you are in the right and have met the terms and conditions of the agreement, you should definitely contact an attorney.

First thing you should do is call the agent and ask for your paperwork! Read the contract. If you had a deadline for seller's approval, and it's passed, the contract should be null and void, but you should contact an attorney if they will not release your funds.