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Asking because I don't understand:

What's the difference between the seller owing me money back and me having a property right in that money? They seem similar to my not-at-all-a-lawyer intuition, what am I missing?

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The former is a debt you have the right to collect from the seller. The latter is actual ownership of the money. E.g. if you're behind on your cell phone bill, you owe the company money, but they don't automatically have a property right in your bank account.

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