paperwork so the property can officially be transferred from seller to buyer — the buyer gets the keys to the home; the seller gets the payment. Then, it’s the closing agent’s responsibility to subtract the funds required to pay existing mortgages and other costs related to the transaction. The closing agent must also ensure the deeds, loan documents, and other papers are prepared, signed, and submitted to the offices that maintain property records. This seems like a lot, but there really is little work to be done by you, the buyer — provided you have hired your own agent (this is another reason it’s important to have an agent working on your side) — because closing agents take care of all the necessary documentation required by title companies, lawyers, and lenders. The final result of the closing process is that the buyer obtains the title to the property, the seller receives the payment, the agents receive their commissions, the lenders’ loans are fully documented in the public records, and the state government collects the taxes generated by the transaction. Everyone wins! But what if not everyone wins? Remember, it’s not over until it’s over — meaning the home isn’t yours until you close, and until the closing process is fully complete. When you finally get to the end of the closing process, and you start picturing yourself moving into and settling into your new home, nothing feels worse than the deal suddenly falling apart at the last moment. While this isn’t common, it still happens. How and why? Some of the reasons include a last-minute home
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