Purchasing a House Is a Somewhat Complicated Process

Purchasing a house is a somewhat complicated process. Typically, if the buyer's offer is accepted by the seller, the transaction will not be completed or "closed" for several weeks. During this time the buyer may gather more information about the house or research other houses in the area. Some home purchase contracts include an option fee. The buyer may pay the seller a few hundred dollars for the right to walk away from the contract prior to closing for any reason. This option fee is best described as:

A) the option to defer investment.
B) the option to make follow-on investments.
C) the option to change operations.
D) a put option on the house.