Step 33 To Selling a Home: Closing Day

CONGRATULATIONS! Closing day is here!

Unless we have made other arrangements, closings in Georgia take place at the closing attorney's office with all parties present: the buyer(s) and their REALTOR®, the seller(s) and their REALTOR®, the closing attorney, and sometimes even the mortgage lender. 

If we have arranged for a mail-away closing or for you to sign at a separate time, then we will not need to be present while the buyer signs their closing documents.

Also, unless we have negotiated otherwise with the buyer, the buyer takes possession of the home when the closing is over, so they will receive the keys and access to the home, and they are officially the new owners!

There are a few important items you should bring to closing:

• Photo ID. Bring two forms of ID, at least one of which should be an official government ID with your photo on it (for example, your driver license or passport)
• A voided check. If you would like your proceeds from the sale to be wired to you at the end of closing, bring a voided check (NOT a deposit slip as the numbers will not be correct) with you to show your bank routing and account numbers. If you do not have any checks, check with your bank (log in online, via their app, or call a branch) for the routing and account numbers that you should give the closing attorney. (You can also opt to receive your proceeds in the form of a check, but that may limit your access to the funds for 10+ days until the check clears; in most cases, for more immediate access to the funds, most sellers opt for a wire.)
• Wiring instructions* for your next closing. If you are closing on your next house immediately after this closing (or within a few days), and for some reason we weren't able to line up the closings to both be with the same attorney, we will need to make sure that you have the wiring instructions for the closing attorney or title company (if you are moving out of state) where your next closing will take place. If we are your REALTOR® for your purchase, we will assist you with this; if you are moving out of the area or out of state, please ask your REALTOR® or put us in touch with him or her to help with getting the information you need! 

*PLEASE NOTE regarding wire transfers: 

Wire fraud associated with real estate transactions is becoming an increasingly serious problem. There have been a number of hackers and scammers lately trying to divert (i.e., steal) closing funds to their personal accounts and away from homebuyers and from closing attorneys and title companies. Generally, the wire transfer instructions will be emailed to you from your mortgage lender, however, occasionally they will be sent to you from the closing attorney. DO NOT FOLLOW WIRE TRANSFER INSTRUCTIONS SENT FROM ANYONE ELSE. ONLY FOLLOW WIRE TRANSFER INSTRUCTIONS SENT TO YOU THE CLOSING ATTORNEY OR YOUR MORTGAGE LENDER. It is always a good idea to call the closing attorney before wiring any funds to verify that the wiring instructions you have are legitimate. Click here to review the Wire Fraud Disclosure that we have all clients sign at the beginning of the transaction and that we attach to every contract.

If you have any questions about closing day, please reach out to us at 404-994-2181 or email Maura(at)BuySellLiveAtlanta(dot)com