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The Closing Timeline
Thirty-five days, beat by beat.
From accepted offer to recorded deed. Every step, who owns it, and what can derail it.
Florida closings typically run 30–45 days. Cash deals close in as few as 10. The longest variable is the buyer's mortgage underwriting. What follows is the standard timeline for a residential sale under the FAR/BAR contract with financing.
- 01Day 0
Offer accepted, contract signed.
Both parties sign the FAR/BAR purchase agreement. Initial earnest money (typically 1–2% of purchase price) wired to escrow within 3 business days. Contract dates begin counting from the effective date — the date of last signature.
Owner: Seller · Buyer · Closing attorney (coordinates) - 02Days 1–3
Earnest money delivered to escrow.
Buyer's agent or attorney delivers earnest money to the title company or closing attorney. Escrow confirms receipt in writing. No further action until inspection.
Owner: Buyer · Title company - 03Days 5–15
Inspection period.
Buyer conducts general home inspection, plus optional 4-point (for insurance), wind mitigation (FL specific, lowers insurance), termite (WDO), and pool inspection. Standard Florida contract gives 15 days; some negotiate down to 10. Buyer can cancel or request repairs in writing before the inspection period expires.
Owner: Buyer · Inspectors - 04Days 10–20
Response to inspection findings.
Seller negotiates any requested repairs or price credits. Common: buyer requests $4,000 of repairs; seller counters with $2,500 price credit at closing; both agree on $3,000. Document the resolution in writing as a contract amendment.
Owner: Seller · Buyer · Attorney - 05Days 5–20
Title search and commitment issued.
Title company runs a full search — deeds, liens, easements, open permits, tax liens, lis pendens. A title commitment is issued listing any exceptions. Buyer's attorney reviews. Most issues are solvable (release of old mortgage liens, clearing open permits) within the contract window.
Owner: Title company · Buyer's attorney - 06Days 20–30
Appraisal (if financed).
Lender orders appraisal once the contract is clean. Appraiser visits the property and compares to recent sales. If the appraisal comes in below contract price, buyer may request a price reduction, cover the gap in cash, or walk (standard contract gives an appraisal contingency). Cash buyers skip this step entirely.
Owner: Buyer's lender · Appraiser - 07Days 25–40
Final loan approval (if financed).
Underwriter issues "clear to close." This is the longest-variable step: simple W-2 borrowers close in 25 days, self-employed or foreign-national buyers can stretch to 50+. Monitor weekly. Cash deals skip.
Owner: Buyer's lender · Buyer - 08Day -3 to -1
Closing Disclosure (CD) delivered.
Lender must deliver the CD at least 3 business days before closing (federal TILA-RESPA rule). Review it line-by-line against the contract. Common errors: wrong property tax proration, missing credits, incorrect payoff amount on seller's existing mortgage. Flag anything wrong immediately — last-minute CD changes delay closing by another 3 days.
Owner: Lender · Seller · Buyer · Attorney - 09Day -1
Final walkthrough.
Buyer visits the property 24–48 hours before closing to confirm condition matches contract terms: negotiated repairs complete, systems working, property broom-clean, agreed-upon personal property (appliances, fixtures) still present. Bring a camera. Any surprises get resolved before signing.
Owner: Buyer · Buyer's agent - 10Day 0 — Closing
Documents signed, wire received, keys transferred.
Seller signs: deed (warranty deed in Florida), bill of sale, closing statement (HUD-1 or CD), 1099-S tax reporting, FIRPTA affidavit (confirming US residency if applicable). Buyer signs: note and mortgage, closing statement, title docs. Escrow wires seller proceeds — net of existing mortgage payoff, closing costs, and any credits. Keys physically transferred. Deed recorded by title company within 24 hours.
Owner: Seller · Buyer · Attorney · Title company - 11Day +7 to +30
Post-closing cleanup.
Deed recording confirmed with the county clerk. Seller's mortgage payoff verified and existing lien released. Final utility readings and service transfers completed. Homestead exemption transferred (new buyer files with county property appraiser by March 1 of following year). Seller files 1099-S proceeds on the next year's federal tax return.
Owner: Seller · Buyer · Title company
Wire Fraud — The Only Section You Must Read
Verify every wire by phone.
Every year, Florida sellers lose hundreds of thousands of dollars to wire-fraud schemes. Criminals spoof title-company emails, send fraudulent wire instructions, and intercept closing proceeds. Three rules defeat nearly every attempt.
First: always verify wire instructions by phone, using a number you dialed independently (from the title company's website, not from the email). Do this for every wire — every single one.
Second: email wire instructions are suspicious by default. Legitimate title companies have moved to encrypted portals or in-person instruction delivery. If your closing attorney is emailing unencrypted wire instructions, ask why.
Third: if the destination account, bank name, or beneficiary name changes at the last minute — stop. A real title company does not change wire details 45 minutes before closing. That is the scam, every time.
