The best replacement for earnest money is down payment.

The best alternatives to earnest money are rated as following:
★★★★★  down payment
★★★★  option money
★★★  deposit
★★  escrow
★  due diligence
★  option fee
★  security deposit
  builder deposit

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Speaking about earnest money, one probably shouldn't forget about offer.

Other search terms related to earnest money and their ratings are:
★★★★★ offer
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Google Trends

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earnest money
down payment
option money