Real Estate Closing Checklist for Buyers

TRID requires the CD in the buyer's hands at least 3 business days before consummation. Compare line-by-line against the Loan Estimate — verify the cash-to-close, loan amount, rate, prepaids, and pro-rations for taxes and HOA. Material changes (APR, loan product, prepayment penalty) restart the 3-day clock.

Pre-approval and conditional approval are not CTC. Get written confirmation from the LO that all underwriting conditions are cleared and the loan is ready to fund. Without CTC, the closing will not occur as scheduled — flag any outstanding conditions to the buyer immediately.

Pull the title commitment from the escrow officer and confirm Schedule B exceptions are resolved — payoff letters received, liens released, HOA estoppel in hand, easements acknowledged. Owner's title policy quoted and elected (or waived in writing).

Walk the property within 24 hours of closing. Verify utilities are on, all included fixtures and personal property remain, the home is in the contracted condition, and any negotiated repairs were completed per the inspection resolution. Document with date-stamped photos.

Wire fraud is the single biggest closing-day risk — FBI IC3 reports show buyers losing six figures to spoofed escrow emails. Have the buyer call the escrow officer at a number from the title company's website (not the email signature) and verbally confirm routing and account numbers. Never trust wire instructions received by email alone.

The CD's cash-to-close should match the escrow officer's settlement statement to the dollar. Pro-rations for property taxes, HOA dues, and prepaid interest commonly drift in the final 48 hours — reconcile any differences before the buyer wires.

Send the wire 24 hours before closing where possible — banks impose cutoff times (typically 3-5 PM ET) and same-day wires miss funding windows. Confirm the buyer received a wire confirmation number and the escrow officer confirmed receipt.

Notary requires unexpired state-issued ID or passport. Name on ID must match the name on the loan and deed exactly — middle initials and suffixes (Jr./III) trip up signings regularly.

Settlement agent walks through the package: promissory note, deed of trust or mortgage, CD acknowledgment, first-payment letter, name affidavit, occupancy affidavit. Buyer initials each page where indicated.

Closing is not complete at signing — it's complete at funding and recording. In wet-funding states the lender wires immediately; in dry-funding states (CA, OR, WA, AK, HI, ID, NV, NM, AZ) funding can take 24-48 hours. Keys do not transfer until the escrow officer confirms recording with the county.

Pull the recorded deed from the county recorder's online index once it's posted (typically 2-10 business days). Verify legal description, grantor/grantee names, and book/page or instrument number. Send the buyer a copy for their records.

Water, electric, gas, internet, trash, and HOA portal access. Provide the buyer with a utility contact sheet for the local providers — most municipalities require 1-2 business days notice and a deposit for new accounts.

Sellers, prior tenants, contractors, dog walkers, and house cleaners may all hold copies. Rekey the deadbolts, change garage codes, reset smart-lock and alarm codes, and update the door-camera Wi-Fi credentials.

Homestead exemption deadlines vary by state (FL, TX: prior year's filing for the current tax year; CA: 30 days). Senior, veteran, and disability exemptions may also apply. Missing the window costs the buyer a full year of inflated taxes.

Transaction coordinator pushes the complete file to the broker-in-charge for review: signed buyer rep agreement, agency disclosures, all addenda, inspection resolution, CD, signed closing package. Most state license laws require the broker to retain transaction records for 3-7 years.