It can be exciting to purchase a new home, but many steps are involved before you can actually start living in it. The last step is the real estate closing. During the day of your appointment, you'll be meeting with multiple real estate professionals and legal experts to sign the documents related to your purchase. If this is your first time going to a closing appointment, here's a quick rundown of what you can expect going into that meeting. 

In 2022, approximately 5.95 million homes were sold in the US. All of these transactions went through the closing process. After finding a home you want to purchase, you usually have a closing appointment around four to six weeks later. The meeting usually includes some of the steps you see covered below. 

Signing Papers

During the meeting, you will be signing various documents related to the purchase, such as a promissory note, a deed of trust, and a closing disclosure, all of which you should not sign if there are any discrepancies or terms that you don't understand. Although resolving issues related to the documents can be inconvenient, it can protect you as the buyer.

Making Payments

At the closing session, you will pay the closing costs, typically ranging from 3 to 5% of the loan amount. You may also make other down payments and prepayments to complete the purchase. Cash transactions can take about an hour to complete but may take more if the title company has paperwork to submit to the lender, which may need approval. After the transaction has been funded and the funds are dispersed, the buyer can get the keys to their new home. The title company then prepares a warranty deed, which is recorded by the government office that handles property transfers.

Most people know that they'll be signing documents and putting their final funds toward the closing on the day of the sale. However, the rest of the process can be mysterious to most home buyers. Don't hesitate to ask your lender and real estate questions about the closing process as your appointment gets closer. Although the actual closing appointment can take a few hours, after you've finished signing the documents and handing over the appropriate funds, you'll officially be the property owner!