You should know that closings are often delayed for several days. You should not be alarmed if the process is postponed due to one or more details not being completed on time.The closing itself is the signing of all the legal documents as well as the financial documents to complete the real estate purchase.

Typically, you will meet with the seller, the listing agent and your own real estate agent at the closing attorney’s office. Remember, the closing attorney represents the lender, not you or the seller. The closing process will take approximately forty-five minutes to an hour.

It is important to review all papers you sign, especially the promissory note to ensure that the terms of the loan are written as you agreed. There will not be time at closing to thoroughly read all documents. If you do wish to read over each document in detail, you should request them prior to the closing.

When you leave the attorney’s office, you will have the keys to your new home.Congratulations!

Information for After the Closing

Now that you are a proud homeowner, celebrate! Then, when the celebration is over, you will need to consider the following:

• If this is your primary residence, you should file for a homestead exemption to prevent unnecessary increases in your property taxes (This must be done between January 1st and May 31st for Fulton County properties, call 404-730-6100 for more information)
• Contact the company that provided the Termite Clearance Letter and transfer the termite bond into your name, if you opted for this optional inspection.
• Create a permanent file for all documents related to the ownership of the home and save all receipts that pertain to home maintenance, improvements and/or repairs for future reference
• Do not wait until the mortgage company contacts you — use the temporary coupon for mortgage payment and the address of the mortgage company provided by the closing attorney to make a timely first payment