Escrow Contract Money In Escrow With No Signed Contract?

Money in escrow with no signed contract? - escrow contract

Hello, We have an offer on a short sale (bring bad I know) The owner has not signed the contract and the real estate company, which insists that we view money in escrow account, that we take seriously and that the selling leads long. I have forced other offers and none of the other companies to put my money on deposit without a signed offer. Is this normal?