Buyer or seller asking how a route sale closes safely
Pool route escrow and 90-day retention: how the closing process works
The short answer
In a structured pool route closing, the buyer's funds are held by a licensed escrow provider rather than paid to the seller directly. The main purchase amount is released when the transfer is accepted, and a separate retention reserve — on POOLIO Exchange, 10% held for 90 days — protects the buyer if transferred accounts leave shortly after the sale. POOLIO Exchange's closing workflow is designed around licensed third-party escrow; POOLIO itself never holds purchase funds.
Why not just pay the seller?
Paying a seller directly leaves the buyer exposed if the accounts are not as described, and leaves the seller exposed if the buyer disputes the deal after taking the customers. A licensed escrow provider holds funds under written instructions and releases them only when the agreed milestones are met.
How the closing workflow is structured
1Signed agreements
Price, the accounts and recurring revenue being transferred, handoff commitments and retention terms are recorded before funding.
2Funding
The buyer funds the escrow transaction with the licensed provider — not POOLIO.
3Main transfer and release
The seller delivers the transfer, the buyer accepts it, and the main purchase amount is released.
4Retention reserve
A separate reserve stays held for the retention period while the buyer services the accounts.
5Retention release
At the end of the period the reserve follows its own ship, receive and accept steps before release.
What the 90-day retention reserve is for
Some customers leave after a change of service company. On POOLIO Exchange, the transaction terms include a 10% retention reserve held for 90 days as its own milestone, separate from the provider's inspection period. Operational handoff through POOLIO Flow does not wait for the retention clock.
Fees at closing
The seller-paid Success Fee is one month of the recurring monthly service revenue being transferred and is deducted from seller proceeds at closing. The escrow provider's own fee is separate from the Success Fee and is allocated per deal.
Frequently asked questions
- Does POOLIO hold the money in a pool route sale?
- No. POOLIO is a technology marketplace, not an escrow company, broker or lender, and never holds purchase funds.
- Is the retention reserve the same as the inspection period?
- No. The retention reserve is a separate milestone held for 90 days; an escrow provider's inspection period is a different, shorter setting.
Written by POOLIO Editorial Team · Published · Last updated . Spot something out of date? Send us a correction.