The process of purchasing a home requires numerous steps that help you get closer and closer to the finish line: closing day. Closing, also known as settlement, is a meeting between the home sellers, buyers, and any agents and representatives in order to sign documents that transfer property ownership. 

It is also the time to pay closing costs and escrow payments. As the very last requirement before your dream home is finally yours, closing day should be handled with the utmost attention to detail to ensure that everything runs smoothly. This is why it’s so crucial to bring the correct forms of identification with you to your closing! Read more

Using email and other electronic means to facilitate a home sale or closing is becoming more and more common, even before the pandemic. Now that everyone is staying at home and keeping their distance, almost all closing tables are happening over Zoom with digital signatures and electronic payments.

If this hardly sounds safe, you would be right. Although going digital certainly makes things convenient, it also makes it much easier to successfully commit fraud. The FBI has divulged several different wire fraud scams that have been used repeatedly to illegally obtain real estate closing funds.  Read more

For the most part, the inspections you need to sell your home are up to you and the buyer. In most cases, additional inspections requested by the buyer are their responsibility to pay. However, a buyer’s home inspection is much more common than it once was, and there are other inspections that might be requested by the buyer, their lender, or their appraiser. Here’s what you might be able to expect when you sell your home.

Appraiser requested inspections

The buyer’s lender will want an appraisal of the property that you are selling to make sure that it is a worthwhile investment before backing the sale. An appraiser may request certain inspections depending on what they find in their initial appraisal.  Read more

If you’re wondering how you’re going to pay your closing costs without a checkbook, you’ll be relieved to know that you can’t pay closing costs with a personal check anyway. You actually don’t have a lot of options for paying for your closing costs. Here’s what you need to know and the best method to use.

Cashier’s Check

In years gone by, a cashier’s check was the preferred method of paying closing costs. A cashier’s check is issued and guaranteed by your bank or other financial institution, which is why most closing and real estate agents have preferred it in the past. It seemed like the safest, most guaranteed option to get their money without receiving cash. Read more

Whether you are buying or selling a house, there are certain things that always happen at closing that you need to be prepared for. There are specific parties that must be present or represented, and there are associated costs you may not be aware of. Here is what you need to have with you when you meet for closing.

Parties Present at Closing

You know closing involves the buyer, seller, and perhaps a realtor, but it is usually a surprise to homeowners that there are many others that must be present or otherwise represented. Some situations vary; but as a general rule, the following parties must be present or represented at closing: Read more