📍 You made it to Closing Day!
Today the paperwork gets signed, the funds are finalized, and once everything is complete, you become the owner of your new home.
🏢 Where Does Closing Take Place?
Your closing will be held at the title company and conducted by the closing attorney or a member of the attorney’s staff.
They will guide you through the documents that need to be signed and answer questions about the closing paperwork.
If you do not understand something you are being asked to sign, ask. You should feel comfortable understanding the documents you are signing.
🧐 What Should I Bring to Closing?
Your title company and lender will let you know if there is anything specific you need to bring.
Be sure to bring a current, unexpired photo ID. Your ID must have a photo and cannot be expired.
If you are unsure whether your particular form of identification will be accepted, check with the title company before Closing Day.
💰 What About the Money I Need for Closing?
Before closing, the title company will let you know the exact amount you need to bring and the acceptable form of payment.
Depending on the amount and the title company’s requirements, you may be instructed to bring a cashier’s check, money order, or wire the funds.
Do not assume which method to use. Follow the instructions provided for your particular closing.
🚨 If You Are Wiring Funds, Be Extremely Careful
Real estate wire fraud is very real.
If you are instructed to wire funds, verify the wiring instructions directly with the title company using contact information you know is legitimate.
Be especially cautious of an email, text, or phone call claiming the wiring instructions have changed at the last minute.
Never send funds using changed instructions without independently confirming them with the title company first.
✍️ What Will I Sign?
The exact documents will depend on your transaction and whether you are financing the purchase.
If you are obtaining a loan, expect to sign lender documents in addition to the documents needed to complete the real estate transaction.
There may be closing disclosures or settlement documents, loan documents, affidavits, title-related documents, and other paperwork specific to your purchase.
It may look like a lot. That is normal.
The attorney or their staff will guide you through the closing package and show you where signatures or initials are needed.
🔑 When Do I Get the Keys?
Signing the last document does not necessarily mean the keys are immediately yours.
The transaction still needs to be properly completed and funded, and possession of the property is determined by the terms of your purchase agreement.
Once everything required for closing has been completed and it is time for possession to transfer according to your contract...
Then we get to the fun part: the keys! 🔑🏡
⚠️ What If Something Changes at the Last Minute?
Occasionally, a closing figure needs to be adjusted, a document needs to be corrected, or someone needs one final piece of information.
That does not necessarily mean something is wrong.
Stay available to your lender, title company, and us as Closing Day approaches so that if something is needed, we can help keep things moving.
And remember what we discussed in Stop 8: Keep Your Loan on Track: Closing Day is not the time to make a major financial change without talking with your lender first.
💡 Don’t Forget the Little Things
By Closing Day, you will also want to make sure you have handled some of the practical pieces of taking ownership.
- Make sure your homeowners insurance is in place as required
- Arrange for utilities to be transferred into your name
- Confirm your moving arrangements
- Keep important closing documents somewhere safe
- Save warranties, termite bond information, repair receipts, and other property records
- Keep contact information for the title company, lender, and The RealTeam Homes & Land
📦 Getting Ready to Move?
Closing Day may be the finish line for buying your home, but it is the starting line for moving into it.
We have put together a Moving Guide with local resources and helpful information to make settling into your new home a little easier.
Explore Our Moving Guide →❤️ We’re Still Here
Closing Day may be the last stop on the Home Buying Roadmap, but it is not the end of our relationship.
Questions can come up after you move in. You may need the name of a contractor, be looking for a local service provider, have a real estate question months from now, or simply need help figuring out who to call.
Call us. Text us. We’re still here.
We want to be your real estate resource long after the keys are in your hand.
🏡 Know Someone Else Who’s Ready to Make a Move?
The greatest compliment you can give us is trusting us with someone you care about.
If a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor is thinking about buying or selling a home or property, we would be honored if you introduced us.
We will take good care of them.
🚏 A Few Closing Day Questions
Here are a few things buyers often ask before the big day.
⏰️ How long will closing take?
It varies depending on the transaction and the number of documents that need to be signed. Your title company can give you a better idea of what to expect for your particular closing.
🧐 Do I need to bring my photo ID even if everyone knows who I am?
Yes. Bring a current, unexpired photo ID.
💳 Can I just bring a personal check for the money I owe?
Do not assume you can. Follow the title company’s instructions regarding the amount and acceptable form of funds needed for closing.
🚨 What if I receive different wiring instructions?
Stop and verify them directly with the title company using trusted contact information before sending any money. Never assume a last-minute change is legitimate.
📁 Should I keep all of my closing documents?
Yes. Keep your final closing package and other important documents associated with the property somewhere safe where you can find them later.
📞 Can I still call you after we close?
Please do! We do not disappear after Closing Day. If you need something and think we may be able to point you in the right direction, reach out.
🏁 Finish Line
You did not have to know every turn in the road before you started. You just needed a trusted team to help you navigate the journey.
From our first conversation through pre-qualification, searching for the right property, making an offer, negotiating, inspections, financing, appraisal, and all the details in between...
You made it.
The paperwork is signed. The journey that started with “I think I’m ready to buy a home” has brought you all the way here.
And while this may be the end of our Home Buying Roadmap, it is the beginning of something much bigger.
Welcome home. 🏡❤️