📝 Closing Disclosure (CD): 3-Line Summary
- Watch out for scams: Wire fraud is extremely common during Closing Day. Always verify any account information directly by phone before sending your funds.
- Closing steps: Once you have completed your wire transfer and signed the final loan documents with a notary, your lender will send the loan amount to escrow.
- Receiving the keys: You do not get the keys right after signing. You become the legal owner only after the county confirms the recording, which officially transfers the title.
The long-awaited Closing Day has finally arrived. Now, only two major steps remain: your wire transfer and your final signing. While it’s an exciting milestone, it’s also the stage that requires the most caution since it’s the day your down payment is transferred. In fact, more than 80% of real estate transaction issues, including wire fraud and funding delays, occur on Closing Day.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential safety rules to protect yourself on this critical D-Day.
1. Closing Day Timeline
The final stage consists of two major actions: sending the remaining balance via wire transfer, and signing the final loan documents. Once your wire transfer is confirmed, Loaning.ai sends the loan funds to escrow. After that, the county completes the recording, and the property is officially registered under your name.
| Step | Responsible Party | Required Document/Action | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Balancing | Loaning.ai →Escrow | Balancing | The lender and escrow reconcile all line items —fees, taxes, and charges—to finalize the exact amounts. |
| Wire Instructions | Escrow → Borrower | Wire Instructions | Escrow provides the account details and the exact Cash to Close amount. (Watch for security risks.) |
| Wire Transfer | Borrower | Wire Transfer | The borrower sends the funds to the escrow account and keep/share the wire receipt. |
| Loan Funds Transfer | Loaning.ai → Escrow | Loan Funds Transfer | Loaning.ai sends the loan funds to escrow. |
| Document Signing | Notary → Borrower | Loan Docs Signing | The borrower signs the final loan documents in front of a notary public. |
| Funding & Recording | Loaning.ai → County | Funding | The lender wires loan funds to escrow; the county records the deed, completing the ownership transfer. |
2. Wire Fraud: The #1 Threat Targeting Homebuyers
According to the FBI, real estate wire fraud causes billions in losses every year in the United States. Criminals target homebuyers specifically because large transfers occur on Closing Day.
How Real Estate Wire Fraud Works, and How to Protect Yourself From It
Hackers infiltrate the email accounts of buyers, agents, or escrow officers, and quietly monitor conversations for weeks or months. Then, right before Closing Day, they send a fake email pretending to be your escrow officer, complete with a real logo and signature.
Important: Escrow companies will NEVER notify you of account changes by email alone.
Example of a fraudulent email:
“Hello, this is your escrow officer. Due to an issue with our previous account, please send your wire to the updated account below. Closing is urgent, so please send the funds as soon as possible.”
✓ Verify: Call your escrow officer using the official phone number from their website or business card (never the one in the suspicious email).
✓ Confirm: Ask verbally, “Did you send this email? Can you confirm the account number?”
3. When Do You Get the Keys?
You cannot receive the keys immediately after signing. In U.S. real estate law, signing and closing are two separate stages.
You officially become the homeowner only when recording is complete. The county must register the new title under your name.
✓ When do you get the keys?
Once escrow notifies your agent that the property has been officially recorded, your agent can hand over the keys. This usually happens a few hours after signing, but depending on transfer timing and document review, recording may occur the next day.
✓ Moving schedule
If you send the wire late in the afternoon on signing day or if any issues are found in your documents, recording may be pushed to the following day.
4. Special Situations: Overseas Travel & Remote Notarization
If you are abroad or in another state during closing, don’t worry — there are approved solutions.
If you’re in Korea, you can get documents notarized at the U.S. Embassy. (Appointments may be limited, so plan ahead.)
✓ Remote Online Notary (RON)
Many lenders and states now accept online notarization over video call.
✓ Power of Attorney (POA)
You may assign signing authority to a spouse or trusted representative.
A Smooth, Safe Closing for Your New Home
A home is more than a real estate asset; it is the foundation of your family’s future. That’s why the final steps of your mortgage closing must be handled with absolute safety, clarity, and transparency.
Until the moment you receive your keys and step into your new home, Loaning.ai’s transparent closing solution is here to guide and protect you every step of the way. Wishing you a safe closing and a happy beginning in your new home. 🙂
📝 Quick Checklist
| Checklist | Details |
|---|---|
| Contract Signing & Review | • Before and after the offer was accepted, did you fully understand and sign the key terms of the contract (price, contingencies, cost allocation)? • If needed, did you use Loaning.ai’s contract review service to ensure there were no unfavorable clauses? |
| EMD Transfer | • Have you prepared to send the EMD to escrow within 3 business days after the contract is executed? • Before sending the funds, did you call the escrow officer directly to verify the account information? |
| Source of Funds Management | • Have you prepared the last two months of bank statements? • If there are any large deposits, have you prepared documents or a letter of explanation (LOE) to clarify their source? |
![Things to Check When Your Closing Disclosure and LE Don’t Match [Mortgage Guider Ep. 6]](https://blog.loaning.ai/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/6-350x250.jpg)
![Revised LE & Rate Lock: What to Do and When [Mortgage Guide Ep. 5]](https://blog.loaning.ai/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/5-350x250.jpg)
![The Hidden Truth Behind U.S. Mortgage Underwriting: Why Do Approvals Get Delayed? [Mortgage Guide Ep. 4]](https://blog.loaning.ai/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/4-350x250.jpg)
![How to Escape Third-Party Pitfalls: When the Appraisal Comes in Lower Than the Purchase Price [Mortgage Guide Ep. 3]](https://blog.loaning.ai/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/3-350x250.jpg)
![Complete Guide to Loan Application & Initial LE [Mortgage Guide Ep. 2]](https://blog.loaning.ai/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2-350x250.jpg)
