Earnest money deposits frequently range between 1% and 5% of the sale price of the home according to U.S. News and World Report. This means that if you want to buy a $300,000 house, you might need to make an earnest money payment between $3,000 and $15,000. There is no hard-and-fast rule on how much your earnest money deposit should be. In a market where sellers may receive multiple offers on their houses, a higher deposit may make your bid more attractive however.