The Insider's Guide To Selling Your Home By Owner- Rocio Fausto I | Page 93

point to help you along the way, because negotiations can be very complicated. Step 6: The Closing Process. Hallelujah! You’ve worked through negotiations with your buyer. All i’s have been dotted and all t’s have been crossed on your legally binding contract. Now it’s time to get ready to close this puppy. This part, you absolutely cannot do alone. You’ll need to hire a lawyer, an escrow holder or a title company to function as your closing agent. Depending on your needs, and those of your buyer, you will likely close in 30, 45 or 60 days. Using an Escrow Holder. Often, contracts in real estate require an escrow holder. The escrow holder is a third-party, and is impartial to the outcome of the transaction being made. Both buyers and sellers are protected with this kind of arrangement. Legal protection is allowed everyone involved in the transaction during the closing process. Usually, the escrow holder handles each of the necessary steps throughout the closing. Keep in mind that there are alternatives to an escrow holder depending on the location in which you live. Using an Attorney. Again, real estate laws vary by location. Many necessitate the use of a lawyer during these transactions, and this is especially true along the East Coast. The attorney in these cases takes on the role of the escrow holder. It is highly encouraged, however, that a seller utilizes an attorney throughout the closing process whether required to or not. After all, this is serious business and having an attorney at your back can’t hurt a thing. 92