Closing

Closing is the day the deal is done. It's when the buyer signs the final loan documents, pays their remaining closing costs and down payment, and receives the keys to the home. The seller signs the deed and any other required documents, and the title company coordinates the transfer of funds and official recording of the deed.

Closings in Alabama and Tennessee are typically conducted at a title company or attorney's office. In many cases, buyers and sellers close separately, and you won't necessarily be in the same room as the seller.

The whole event usually takes 60–90 minutes for buyers, less for sellers. You'll sign a significant stack of documents, most of which are loan-related.

Closing is the finish line, the moment you become a homeowner. Understanding what happens at closing helps you prepare: you'll need a government-issued ID, any required funds wired in advance (confirm with the title company), and documents your lender may have asked you to bring.

For sellers, closing is when you receive your net proceeds. After your remaining mortgage is paid off and fees are deducted, the remaining funds are distributed to you.

A buyer closes on their first home on a Thursday morning. They wired their closing funds two days earlier per the title company's instructions. At the closing table, they sign about 30 pages of documents, mostly mortgage and loan paperwork. The title company records the deed at the courthouse electronically. The listing agent delivers the keys. The home is theirs.

"Everything is done when I sign the contract."

Signing the purchase contract is the beginning, not the end. A transaction typically takes 30–45 days from contract to closing, during which inspections, appraisals, loan underwriting, and all the behind-the-scenes work happens. Closing is the final event that completes the transaction.