5 Things to Know Before You Close on a House in South Florida

by Eric Klein | Jul 19, 2021

Purchasing a house can be very stressful. There are many unexpected things that can go wrong. Escrow procedures vary from state to state and problems during this period may even prevent your closing from happening altogether. There can be issues with the house found during the inspection that can slow down closing, there cannot be any liens or judgements against the property, and more. This article will help you develop the effective strategies and resources to have a successful closing.

Assemble your team

Closing on a house is the final step before you buy or sell your house. During the negotiation phase, the buyer and seller set a closing date. It is best to gather your team to make sure nothing unexpected happens to delay or stop the closing. Your team should consist of the following people.

After you gather together your expert team, they can review your contract and prepare for closing.

Create and complete your closing checklist with your team

Creating a checklist and giving each expert within your team the following tasks can help create a hassle-free closing.

For instance, the home inspector includes a home inspection to protect you from a bad deal. The home inspector can identify issues that you would never have known existed in the house such as leaks, mold, termite damage, rotting wood and even electrical and plumbing problems. If you fail to do this, you could be spending thousands of dollars to fix issues that could have been resolved before the deal closed.

In the state of Florida, it is not mandatory for the buyer or seller to hire a real estate attorney for the closing, but it is highly recommended because hiring an attorney will provide security, peace of mind and increase the client’s protection during the process. The attorney will attend the closing. Do not depend on your title insurance or real estate agents to provide you professional legal advice. These entities are in it for themselves because they do not get paid until the deal closes.

Look for firms with experienced real estate attorneys like ours. Firms that have successfully closed on properties and have protected clients from serious and costly issues during the closing process.

When searching for the right attorney, make sure that they work in real estate law that includes:

To close successfully on real estate in South Florida, the attorney will examine title. Examining title and then issuing an insurance policy protects you from false impersonation of the true owner of the property, mistakes in recording legal documents, liens, and other costly time-consuming issues. Your attorney can also negotiate and draft the contract for sale or purchase, handle all relevant paperwork, provide title insurance and escrow services, resolve title disputes and much more. The closing attorney is responsible for closing on the transaction and is an invaluable asset to your closing team.

The escrow officer is an unbiased neutral third-party who manages funds for you as the closing process is completed. The escrow officer is a vital part of the homebuying/selling process. They make sure that numbers on both sides are correct.

The closing agent will do extensive, tedious research of county records to find any issues that may come up with the property. They certify the validity of the title on real estate which includes guaranteeing proper ownership on a title. This helps protect the buyer from undue harm after a sale.

Now that you have assembled your expert team, you may wonder how long the closing process takes for a home in South Florida.

Knowing how long it takes to close on a house

You can’t set a date if you have no idea how long it takes to close. According to Forbes, during March, 2020 through February, 2021 a conventional purchase takes 47 days to close. Depending on the type of loan you are applying for, the time in which it takes to close can range anywhere between 45-59 days.

This will help you set a closing date and give yourself enough time to know when to plan to assemble your team, hire movers, and more. COVID has actually slowed down the time it takes to close on a real estate. Plan on the range above to give yourself enough time to accomplish your closing successfully.

Be aware of closing issues that cause delays

Factors that can play a role in delaying your closing can be that the lenders are busy, the appraisal comes in too low or the home inspection uncovers needed repairs. In the event that a home repair is discovered in the home inspection report, negotiation options may include:

The seller will pay for and make the repairs before closing.
The seller may offer the buyer a credit at closing to make up for the cost of the repair.
The seller may agree to lower the sale price to cover the cost of the repair.
The seller may offer nothing.
The buyer may cancel the transaction and demand a refund of the deposit.

Another reason for a delay may be because the home is difficult to insure. Homes may be located where they are at a high risk of natural disasters. Homes in South Florida may run into this problem because of the frequency of hurricanes and flooding, their proximity to the ocean, and other issues.

Because you had assembled your expert team, you can rest assured that you can discover problems before the sale goes through to make sure your purchase or sale is successful. Your attorney can help you identify and deal with any problems that are found and protect you from any legal matters that may hinder your closing.

Knowing how much it costs to close on a house

There are different factors that weigh in on how much it costs to close on a house in South Florida. These costs may include the home inspection, homeowners’ insurance, appraisal fees, credit report charges, title search, estoppel letters, documentary stamps, and more. On average, you will pay 3-4% of the purchase price of your home in closing fees. If your home costs $300,000, you can expect to pay anywhere between $9,000 and $12,000 in closing costs. Try this mortgage calculator so you can estimate your closing costs.

Conclusion:

Closing can be one of the most stressful things you’ll ever experience, especially if you do not know what you are getting into. There are many aspects that make closing either a success or failure. Before you begin your closing journey to your new home in South Florida, I highly recommend that you consult with the Klein Law Group. They not only help in legal matters they are there to help you with any questions or concerns on your closing to make sure you have the best experience possible. We pride ourselves in giving exceptional service and help in any way we can. Call now! 1-561-353-2800