Raise this with your agent
- The Closing Disclosure arrives at least three business days before closing.
- The settlement agent may be a title company, escrow company or attorney.
- Confirm wiring instructions by phone before sending money.
Once the inspection is settled, many buyers assume the hard part is over. Often it is, but the weeks before closing still involve a lot of moving parts: the lender, the appraiser, the title or escrow company, the seller’s side and sometimes repair contractors. A good buyer’s agent keeps these pieces moving and catches problems before they reach the closing table.
Tracking the deadlines
Your contract has dates for loan approval, appraisal, any remaining contingencies and closing. Your agent should keep a list, remind you before each one and make sure notices go out in writing exactly as the contract requires. If something is running late, the time to ask for an extension is before the deadline, not after.
Working with the lender
Your lender will ask for updated documents while it finishes underwriting. Your agent cannot do that part for you, but they can keep in touch with the loan officer, flag delays and make sure the appraisal is scheduled. If the appraisal comes in below the price, your agent helps you use it: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that a low appraisal is strong evidence for asking the seller to reduce the price.
Repairs and credits
If the seller agreed to repairs after the inspection, your agent should ask for receipts or confirmation that the work was done, and help you check it at the final walk-through. If you agreed to a credit, they confirm it shows up correctly in the closing figures.
The Closing Disclosure
At least three business days before closing, your lender must give you the Closing Disclosure with the final loan terms and costs. That window is there for you to compare it with your Loan Estimate and ask questions. Your lender answers loan questions; your agent can help you check that seller credits, concessions and any seller-paid compensation for your agent appear as agreed in your contract.
Tip: Compare three numbers first: the loan amount, the monthly payment and the cash to close. Then go line by line through anything that changed.
Moving the money safely
The settlement agent will give you instructions for your cash to close. Large wire transfers attract fraud attempts. A good agent will remind you to confirm instructions by calling the settlement agent at a number you found yourself, and never to act on a last-minute email saying the instructions changed.
Insurance, utilities and the move
Your lender will not fund the loan without proof of homeowners insurance, and the policy should be in force from the closing date. A good agent reminds you to shop for coverage soon after your offer is accepted, especially where flood, wind or wildfire coverage can take time to arrange. They can also give you a list of local utility providers, help you plan around the seller’s move-out date and confirm when you will get the keys. These are small tasks, but forgetting one can delay a closing or leave you in a house without power on your first night.
The final walk-through
Shortly before closing, you and usually your agent walk through the home one last time. You are checking that it is in the agreed condition, that included items are still there and that repairs were done. Test faucets, lights, appliances, heating and cooling. If something is wrong, your agent helps you decide whether to delay, ask for a credit or arrange a holdback.
At the closing table
The closing is run by a settlement agent, which, depending on where you live, may be a title company, an escrow company or a closing attorney. You will sign the Closing Disclosure, the promissory note, the mortgage or deed of trust and other documents, some of them notarized. The seller signs the deed. Your agent’s role here is mostly support: being available for last questions and making sure nothing agreed in the contract was missed.
Who does what in the final stretch
| Task | Your agent | You |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlines and notices | Track and send | Respond on time |
| Loan documents | Follow up on progress | Provide them quickly |
| Insurance | Remind you | Buy a policy and send proof |
| Closing Disclosure | Check contract items | Review the whole form |
| Wire transfer | Warn about fraud | Verify by phone and send |
| Final walk-through | Attend and document issues | Test everything |
After closing
Once the documents are signed and the money is disbursed, you get the keys and the documents are recorded with the county. A good agent stays in touch for a while, answering questions about the move or pointing you to local services. For a look back at the whole relationship, see How to Choose a Buyer’s Agent You Can Trust.