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Selling a home can be a stressful process, but once a buyer has made an offer and agreed to buy your house, the end of the process is in sight. However, there are still a variety of issues which may need to be resolved and matters which will need to be settled before the sale is complete. Here are 10 things you should take care of as you complete your residential real estate closing:

1. Address home inspection issues - The buyer will pay for a home inspection, which may uncover a variety of issues that they may ask you to correct or repair. You can preempt some of the issues by having your own home inspection completed prior to listing. This will give you an idea of the issues that may be raised later or minor issues that you can resolve prior to accepting an offer. Be sure to complete any agreed repairs prior to the date of closing and provide paid receipts to show that the required work has been done. 
2. Review the property survey - The standard Illinois contracts require the seller to provide the buyer with a survey of the property. If you have an existing survey, you should be sure to review this survey to make sure that the boundaries of the property are defined correctly and there are no issues that may arise with the new survey. Some buyers, especially in cash deals, will accept the existing survey, if no new improvements have been made. 
3. Get ready for the final walkthrough - Buyers will typically visit the home prior to closing to check the property and make sure repairs have been done. Be sure everything has been taken care of before this walkthrough and make sure no unexpected issues arise. If necessary, you may need to address issues the buyers find or negotiate a payment for problems they discover.
4. Review your settlement - Your closing documents will include a seller’s closing statement detailing the money being paid and received. Be sure to review this statement for accuracy including the payoff amounts of any of your loans or mortgages.
5. Bring documentation to closing - At closing, be sure to bring your photo ID, the paid receipts for repairs, and any information the buyer will need, such as codes to security systems.
6. Resolve last-minute details - If something is not in the same condition at walkthrough as it was when the offer was accepted, that item will need to be resolved at the closing table, or the closing may need to be postponed.
7. Be prepared to pay closing costs - You will typically be required to pay for certain items, such as commissions for real estate agents, outstanding property taxes or utility bills, and related fees, including title fees and attorney’s fees. Your realtor or attorney should inform you of the exact amount that you will need to pay at closing.
8. Transfer utilities - Utilities should be kept active until after the closing, at which point you can transfer service to the buyer.
9. Cancel homeowner’s insurance - Once closing is complete, you can cancel your homeowner’s insurance policy. You may receive a refund for any remaining months which you have already paid.
10. Keep your paperwork in a safe place - Be sure to keep all of the papers from the closing in a place where you can easily access them in case any questions or issues arise.

Contact a Riverwoods Residential Real Estate Attorney

If you have any questions about the processes followed during your home closing, or if you need an attorney’s assistance when selling your home, contact a Kenilworth real estate lawyer at Drost, Gilbert, Andrew & Apicella, LLC. Call our office at 847-934-6000 to schedule a consultation.

Sources:
https://www.homelight.com/blog/closing-checklist/
https://www.zillow.com/sellers-guide/closing-on-house-for-seller/
https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/what-to-expect-at-the-closing/

A new rule goes into effect on August 1st that will make major changes in the way that real estate closings occur. The new rule was promulgated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and is known as the TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (TRID). The TRID Rule alters the way that financial disclosures work in the context of mortgages. Previously, lenders had to use four separate disclosure forms. They had to provide Good Faith Estimate and Truth in Lending Act (TILA) disclosure forms to loan applicants within three days of receiving the person's application. They also had to provide a Housing and Urban Development disclosure form and another TILA disclosure form three days prior to closing. The new rule combines these four documents into two: a loan estimate and a closing disclosure.

The Loan Estimate

The loan estimate acts as a combination of the Good Faith Estimate and the first TILA disclosure. Like the old documents, it still must be given to the loan application within three days of receiving the application. The loan estimate is a three-page document that includes a variety of information about the potential costs of the loan to the consumer. The first page includes general information such as the loan amount, the interest rate, and the payment schedule. The second page includes a detailed layout of the costs that the loan recipient will be responsible for at closing. The final page contains more miscellaneous information about the loan. This page includes things like metrics for comparing the loan with other offers, as well as other information such as late payment fees and appraisal rules.

The Closing Disclosure

The other new document created by the TRID rule is the closing disclosure, which combines the Housing and Urban Development settlement statement, along with the other TILA disclosure. Like its predecessor documents, the lender must still deliver the closing disclosure at least three days before the closing. The closing disclosure form is longer than the loan estimate form and contains more information. The first page of the disclosure is similar to the loan estimate form, and contains general information about the loan. The next page details the specific loan costs that the borrower is paying. The third page is an update to the closing costs from the loan estimate, highlighting any changes. The final two pages include other miscellaneous information about the loan, similar to what is on the final page of the loan estimate, but more expansive.

If you are looking to buy a house and want to make sure this high stakes transaction goes off like you are expecting, contact an experienced Illinois real estate attorney today. Our firm serves clients in northwest suburban towns like Arlington Heights, Long Grove, Rolling Meadows, and Barrington.

About the Author: Attorney Jay Andrew is a founding partner of Drost, Gilbert, Andrew & Apicella, LLC. He is a graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law and has been practicing in estate planning, probate, trust administration, real estate law, residential/ commercial leasing, contracts, and civil litigation. Since 2005, Jay has been a Chair of the Mock Trial Committee for the Annual Northwest Suburban Bar Association High School Mock Trial Invitation which serves over 240 local Illinois students each year.