What can I do to expedite the process?

During escrow, the key to any transaction is to read and understand your escrow instructions. If you do not understand them, you should ask your escrow officer to explain the instructions. Your escrow officer is not an attorney and cannot practice law. You should consult your lawyer for legal advice. Do not expect your escrow officer to advise you as to whether or not you have a “good deal” or are doing things the right way. The officer is there to follow the instruction given by the principals in the escrow.

In order to expedite the closing of the escrow, you should check with your escrow officer as to what specific items you could assist with. Ask “What can I do to expedite the closing of this escrow?” and respond quickly to correspondence. This will assist in the timely closing of the transaction.

How long can I expect the process to take?

When the escrow officer closes the escrow, some of you may want the closing papers, check, title policies provided by the title company and statements made available immediately. There are many aspects to the closing of the escrow, and some of these cannot be processed on the day of the closing. They may take several days. If you have a special need, for example a cashier’s check on the day of closing, you should communicate that need to the escrow officer early in the processing of the escrow.