Realtors and Closings

Complications and setbacks can come when buying a home, or it can go remarkably smoothly and fast if it is planned carefully.  Choosing the best realtor to be on your team is the key to success at closing. She will stay focused and be the voice of reason during the process at closing and will make sure all parties have completed any unfinished business before coming to the closing table. Here is what you should expect from a realtor: 

Repairs: The status of all repairs that were to be made on the home should be checked the day before closing. Confirming that anything that needs to be fixed has been completed. If there was an arrangement for repairs to be taken care of after closing, the realtor will have all necessary paperwork showing this as fact.  A final walk-through should be done with the buyers. The realtor must make sure that the condition of the property is as promised and all their items are removed.

Title Insurance:  The title company you have hired should be certain that there is a clear title on the home and that the property can be transferred without obstructions.  Should any title issues include judgments or liens, they must be settled before the hour of closing.  The moment of truth in a real estate transaction happens at the closing table. Title First Agency will work hard to ensure a seamless experience for you and your clients. From contract to closing, we handle all the details to help a transaction run smoothly and close on time. 

Financing: The lender should be contacted the day before the closing to be certain that all the documents they need have been received. Occasionally, the closing is delayed due to one document or one final verification.  The interest rate for the loan should be locked as well as the final mortgage and monthly payments.  A good realtor will make sure the buyer has all the funds available and ready to close.  Having everything in hand the day before gives both the buyer and the seller 24 hours to review everything and have any questions ready, errors noticed or points not understood addressed. 

The Bottom Line: Find a realtor who has a history of making sure the buyers are ready for the closing. First-time buyers, especially, don’t always realize all the people that could be at the closing table, and all the paperwork there will be that needs their signature. The buyer needs a cashier’s check or arrangements made to wire the closing funds to the escrow company.  The seller should bring all the keys, garage door openers, alarm codes, and any other controls to the settlement. A good realtor will take care of little things such as confirming that all utilities have been disconnected by the sellers and that the setup is ready for the buyers upon closing.