Understanding Key Aspects of Real Estate Closing

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The real estate closing is also referred to as settlement. The two terms are interchangeable, though "closing" is the more common usage. This is the final step in a real estate purchase transaction. It's when property ownership is transferred from the seller to the buyer. In the world of real estate, the closing phase is the “magical” phase. It is final step in a real estate purchase transaction. Many people study real estate in hopes to becoming a real estate investor. Real estate investors look forward to the closing transactions due to the potential financial gains after purchasing or selling a property. Four terms every potential real estate investor must know are closing costs, deed, mortgage, and mortgagee. …show more content…

An appraisal is the evaluation of someone or something, but in this case, the real property is the thing being assessed. Lenders do not come look visit neighborhoods and look at houses, and they are not the experts of local real estate markets. Many lenders may be thousands of miles away from the actual property. With that being said, the lender wants to be confident that an investor will be able to give them their money back, so they hire a professional appraiser that is not emotionally attached to the property. An appraiser estimates how much the home is worth. An appraiser will go in the house and take a look around, examining the conditions of the house and features of the interior. They generally check things such as the square footage of the house, to see if the bathroom and kitchen have been remodled, and to see if there are any health or saftey …show more content…

Real estate transactions can be complex, making it difficult to navigate without legal assistance. A real estate attorney can walk a home buyer or seller through the legal process for the transfer of ownership of property. The fees for real estate lawyers can be a set price, like $800, or a rate per hour spent on the deal, depending on the area. Real estate attorneys are overseers of the legal work involved in buying or selling property. They are very beneficial in ensuring the interests and rights of the client are preserved. Moreover, a buyer's attorney checks the sales contract, or the legal document committing the buyer to purchase the home, to make sure the buyer is protected. The attorney checks the title, or chain of ownership to the property, for any problems or liabilities, such as liens. All mortgage loan documents and legal papers for the purchase are verified and filed by the attorney. A seller's attorney will check the sales contract to protect the seller and address any title issues that arise, arrange for any final payoffs for existing loans and prepare the necessary documents to transfer ownership of the property. More importantly, real estate attorneys can protect a buyer or seller from financial loss. A sales contract that does not have a clause allowing termination for a failed inspection can cost a buyer hundreds of dollars to cancel if the home is found to have a major problem, such as mold. Loan

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