- SELLER -

Frequently Asked Questions

I am the seller, what is the process?

  • 1. Signed Contract

    American Title Solutions will receive a signed contract by both the buyer and seller for the purchase of a home.

  • 2. Introduction

    Once the details of the transaction are entered into our system, you will receive a phone call and an email introducing American Title Solutions and a request to provide us with some basic information that will allow us to begin processing the transaction.

  • 3. Title Search

    Simultaneous to the introduction, our team will order a title search on the property to identify any possible title defects or associated risks with the property you are selling.

  • 4. Coordination with the Buyer’s Lender

    Once the title search is sent back to American Title Solutions, we will send the Title Commitment and preliminary closing disclosure to the buyer’s lender.

  • 5. Ordering of the Deed and Survey

    American Title Solutions will request the deed for the transfer of the property and a survey to be completed.

  • 6. Signing Your Documents

    Once we have received approval and final documents from the buyer’s lender, also known as a “clear to close”, then we will contact you to schedule you for the signing of your documents with a notary public.

  • 7. Recording and Disbursing

    Once the Lender approves the documents and sends funds to American Title Solutions, we will record those documents with the county and disburse all funds as guided by the contract.

  • 8. Exchange of Keys!

    We will let your real estate agent know once the documents are received by the county and you can work with your real estate agent to transfer the keys to the buyer.

View and Download the Contract to Close PDF

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What are the seller’s responsibilities during closing?

  1. Remove all your possessions from the property, unless they’re specified to stay under the contract. Major appliances, for instance, are sometimes negotiated into a deal.

  2. Make any repairs you have agreed to make.

  3. Clean the home right before the closing date. A good rule of thumb is to leave it as clean as you’d like to find it if you were the buyer. (Typically required unless the home is sold in as-is condition.)

These items aren’t typically required but they’re either a good idea to consider or a nice gesture for the new owner:

  1. Notify subscription services, creditors and acquaintances of your new address and set up mail forwarding.

  2. Collect any manuals and warranties you have for items in the home, such as the HVAC system and any appliances you’re leaving behind. Leave them on the kitchen counter for the buyer, along with any spare keys and garage door openers.

  3. Shut off water valves to prevent any leaks between the time the buyer takes possession and the time they actually move in.

Some municipalities have additional requirements, so check with your real estate agent or attorney. For example, your municipality may require a septic system inspection, or a smoke and carbon monoxide detector certificate.

What should you bring?

  1. Photo ID: The notary is required to confirm your identity. A driver’s license or current passport are two examples of approved documents that you could bring with you to the closing to validate your identity.

  2. Voided check: Please bring a voided check with you to the closings so the notary can make a copy and provide that to American Title Solutions. This will allow us to verify the bank account in which to wire the funds.

  3. Final purchase and sales contract: Just in case you need to double-check a detail against closing costs.