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I Paid for my House - Why Can't I Get the Keys???

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with eXp Realty BR562939000

Why would we sign all the documents, put down all our money, and have to wait another day to receive entry into our home?

This was a question posed to me by a client recently and it is a fantastic question that deserves an answer.  It doesn't make sense that you would pay for a home and have already signed the documents and still be waiting to get the keys, right?

Well, the problem here is that even though my clients put down a sizeable down payment, they were still not paying for the home in its entirety.  Like many other people, they were also obtaining a mortgage loan.  When you obtain a mortgage, the house is not completely paid for until the mortgage company sends the loan amount, commonly known as "funding the loan".

Funding a loan is unfortunately not as simple as pressing a button.  In fact, many loan companies won't even fund on the same day that the buyers sign.  They must receive the signed documents and review them for accuracy and to ensure that they have all the necessary signatures.  On rare occasions buyers may have to come back in and sign the paperwork again.  This is most likely to occur when dealing with Power of Attorney signatures where one person is signing for another using a Power of Attorney.

Once the bank has determined that everything is in order they will release the funds.  However, it still takes about 2-4 hours to reach the title company because it must go through the federal reserve before reaching them.  Once the title company receives the wired funds and matches it with the correct property, they will send funds to the seller's mortgage being paid off (if there is one) and will cut checks to the seller, real estate companies and anyone else who is being paid out of closing.  They will also record the transaction with the County Assessor's office and the buyer will be the official new owner of the home!

Thank you very much for the excellent question, Amy.  I wish you and Mike the best in your new home!

Posted by

Robin Siddle

www.TucsonExpertAgents.com

Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Robin,

Thanks for explaining this.  I funded a loan recently where the seller had allowed the buyer to move stuff into the house two days before signing, and three days before funding and recording.  That was a potential disaster, as the seller would have been liable had, for instance, the house burned down.  It has to fund and record before those keys are handed over.

Mike in Tucson

Jun 20, 2008 05:06 PM
Robin Willis
eXp Realty - Tucson, AZ
CDPE, SRES, Associate Broker

Mike,

You're right.  That could have been a disaster.  I don't know if your buyers had signed all the correct paperwork, but there is an agreement form for such situations.  It details the fact that the seller is still responsible for homeowner's insurance, etc, and the buyers are basically renting the home from the seller for a few days.  Typically, the buyer pays a daily rent to use the premises as well.

Thanks for stopping by.

Jun 21, 2008 05:27 AM