4 Buyers Real Estate

Purchase and Sales Agreement to closing

After you sign a Purchase and Sales Agreement

Your loan commitment is due 2-4 weeks after the Purchase and Sale agreement.

You are entitled to get your deposits back if you cannot get a loan by this date. The buyer’s job is to stay in touch with your lender.

What if the commitment is late? If the loan paperwork is not done on time, your agent or attorney will request and extension before the deadline.  Once this deadline has passed, your option to get back your deposits is in jeopardy.

What do I do when the commitment comes in? Your attorney should review your loan commitment to be sure there are not conditions that may affect your financial ability to close.

Your closing date is 4-5 weeks after the Offer, or longer if Buyer and Seller want it that way.

Unless you have made other agreements, there will be no people or possessions in the house on closing day.  We will walk through before closing to make sure the Seller and/or tenants have moved out and taken their things.

One or more weeks before closing

Buyer calls utility companies to plan to take responsibility for utility bills as of closing date.  Buyer calls phone, cable, electric, and gas companies to turn service to your name as of the closing date.

Seller will provide a full tank of oil for oil homes and bring a bill for that oil.

Seller also will get a final water bill, tax bill and condo fees bill. You will either see a fully paid bill or get a credit toward what is due up to closing day.

Buyer fulfills all conditions that are listed on your loan commitment letter.

Buyer chooses home insurance company and arranges the purchase of the first year’s home insurance. The binder must have specific clauses on it that assigns the insurance to you and to the lender.  Your insurance agent should know how to get this done. Closing Attorney must review insurance binder before closing.

For condos, the lender will want to review the master policy for the association.

One week to one day before closing

Closing attorney’s office schedules a closing time.

Lender sends the closing packet to the closing attorney’s office.

All parties confirm closing time and place.

Buyer purchases home insurance.

Buyer must find out how to get a cashier’s check or wire transfer from whatever institution is holding those funds. Check ahead to find out what ID the institution may need and how much lead time they need to get a check or to get a transfer to you or the closing attorney.

Usually the day before closing

Buyer’s attorney reviews closing documents.  Buyer’s attorney will tell buyer the amount of the cashier’s check for the rest of Buyer’s deposit money plus any bank fees due at closing.  Buyer reviews the HUD-1 (Settlement Statement) with your attorney. This form has all the accounting for the money you are paying in the transaction. Some buyers opt to have their attorney come to closing; some are comfortable with their attorney being available by phone. Discuss the options with your attorney.

Buyer draws a cashier’s check in the buyer’s name or arranges for a wire transfer that is acceptable to the closing attorney.

Buyer and agent enter the home and do a walk through to insure that the property has been prepared for closing. (Heat and hot water working, vacant, clean, and not damaged in any way since the inspection. Things that should be gone are gone; things that should stay are there and work.)

Closing day

Buyer brings: Insurance binder and receipt, cashier’s check for deposits and bank fees (made out in your name), personal checkbook for any miscellaneous debits, driver’s license (or State Liquor ID), a second form of ID (can be library card, credit card or passport), a pen you like.

Seller and/or seller’s agent brings: Deed, Title, keys, Smoke Detector Certificate, proof of paid taxes, proof of water bill adjustments, and condo fee proof of payment (if any).