Survival guide to a real estate closing

Buying a house is hard work; closing on one is like taking a final exam. What can you expect when you get there -- other than writer's cramp?

The closing is the end of the long and arduous process of buying a house. It refers to the day you close the deal on a piece of real estate and on the mortgage to buy that real estate. Essentially it's the final transfer of money and keys. When you walk out of the agent's office, you own a new home.

Just like every mother has a labor story, every homeowner has a tale of woe and wonder about a closing. For a first-time home buyer who has heard these stories, the closing takes on a peculiar mystique complete with anxiety and drama.

Let's start our guide to the big day with the most important piece of advice: You'll want a good night's sleep before closing. It's an exciting and stressful time during which a lot of legal and financial information will be thrown at you. Many folks, who actually attempt moving on the day of the closing, double the anxiety, workload and chance of error. So rest up.

Timing is everything
Timing is critical when scheduling the transaction. Here are a few things to consider:

• Current living situation. If you are renting, you'll want to schedule the closing around the time your lease ends. If your plan is to do some work on your new home before moving in, pick a date a couple of months before you have to move from your rental.
  
  If you'll be moving out of a house that you are selling, you'll be juggling two closing dates. Most folks need the cash out of the first house to pay for the second house, so schedule the closings in the right order. But beware; two closings in one day will make for a headache. However, it's over in one fell swoop.

• Mortgage considerations. Make sure the closing date is set before your lender's commitment -- or any interest rate lock -- expires.

• Work schedule. Though most well-run closings last only about an hour, you don't want to try to squeeze this into a lunch break. Things can go wrong. And hey -- this is a huge day in your life, so take at least half of it off from work.

• Moving. If you plan to move the day you close, schedule the paperwork as early in the day as you can.

• Yearend. If you are scheduling a closing at the end of the year, keep taxes in mind. Any points and interest paid before the New Year can become deductions for this year's taxes. Check with a tax adviser for the timing of any other deductions.

• Truth in lending statement, also known as Regulation Z. This important piece of paper will disclose the interest rate, annual percentage rate, amount financed and the total cost of the loan over its life. These are important numbers to check and double check before signing. This is not a time for surprises.

• Itemization of amount financed. This document is like an addendum to the Truth in Lending statement. It summarizes the finance costs, such as points.

• Monthly payment letter. This document reveals the break down of your monthly payment into principal, interest, taxes, insurance and any other monthly escrows. Again, look for any surprises.

• Note. Take a deep breath when signing this. This is where you're actually borrowing the money -- and giving your personal guarantee to pay it back. Gulp.

• Mortgage. Take a second deep breath with this one. This paper puts a lien on the house as security for the loan -- allowing the bank to foreclose if you default on the note mentioned above.

• HUD Form 1 or Disclosure/Settlement Statement. This is another one to read carefully (though, of course, all these papers are important and need to be read). The form will contain all the actual settlement costs and amounts. Again, this is a paper ripe for typos and errors. The closing agent will go over this document with the buyer and seller. Do pay attention.

• Warranty deed. This is the document that brought all these people to the table. This document should include the names of the buyer, the seller and a description of the property. Often this deed also guarantees that the seller has the right to sell the property. With the signatures of the seller and buyer, this piece of paper transfers the title of property. Savor this particular signing; it's the real deal.

• Proration agreements. These describe how you and the seller are divvying up the costs of the house for the month in which it is being bought. For example, the seller may have already paid the property taxes, so the buyer needs to reimburse the seller for the portion of the tax bill that covers the time after the buyer takes over the property. Or in reverse, the seller may not have paid the quarterly homeowner's association fees yet. The buyer will be paying this, but at the closing, the seller reimburses for the period he was still living in the house. In the end, lots of little bits of money may go back and forth across the table -- at least on paper.

• Tax and utility receipts. You'll probably also be signing various city and state receipts acknowledging that this or that has been paid by the seller or will be paid by the buyer.

• Name affidavit. Here's where too many legal technicalities get annoying. This document is certifying that you are who you say you are.

• Acknowledgment of reports. More legalese assures that the buyer has seen all of the reports regarding the property. These can include surveys and a termite inspection.

• Search or Abstract of Title. This one would make excellent bedtime reading for an insomniac. The abstract gives a listing of every document that has been recorded about this particular piece of property. Don't worry, this doesn't obligate you to anything, but it does give you the history of the house.

Hand over the money
The closing is not the day to forget your lunch money. The buyer and sometimes even the seller are expected to have some dough ready to hand over during this fateful meeting. You should be informed of the amount you need before the meeting. If you are not, call and ask. You'll want to bring a certified check for the correct amount.

• Closing costs. Expect to pay a portion of the closing costs. These can vary from state to state and even from county to county. Also, most are negotiable (ahead of time), so closing costs can vary greatly.

• Payment for the house. The buyer brings the down payment (if any) at this time, minus any earlier deposit(s). It is given to the closing agent, along with the lender's check for the balance.

• Escrows. Often the buyer's annual taxes, insurance and other items are paid through the lender. An escrow account (or reserve) will be established at this time.