The day your offer is accepted is the day the closing clock starts. Sending the title company the contract, the parties' information, the entity documents, and the financing details immediately can save weeks. The closing team cannot start until it knows who, what, where, and how the deal is structured.

The Contract and the Parties

Send the fully executed purchase contract, including all addenda, and the names of the buyer and seller exactly as they will appear on the deed. Tell the title team whether the buyer is an individual, an LLC, a trust, or a partnership, and who will sign.

  • The executed contract and all addenda.
  • The exact legal names of buyer and seller.
  • The intended vesting for the deed.

Entity and Trust Documents

If either party is an entity or a trust, send the formation documents, EIN confirmation, and authorization for the signer. For a trust, send the certification of trust or the relevant pages. The closing team verifies authority before the closing date.

  • Articles of organization or certificate of formation.
  • EIN confirmation.
  • Operating agreement or authorization resolution.
  • Certification of trust for trust ownership.

Financing Details

Tell the title team how the purchase is funded: cash, a conventional loan, hard money, or seller financing. Provide the lender's name and contact, and any lender requirements you know. The closing team coordinates the lender's title policy and closing instructions.

  • Cash or financed, and the lender's name.
  • The lender's closing instructions when available.
  • Any special loan requirements.

Property and Payoff Information

Provide the property address, the legal description if you have it, and the seller's current mortgage information so the payoff can be requested. If there is an HOA, the association's name and contact help the HOA payoff process.

  • Property address and legal description.
  • Seller's current loan account information.
  • HOA name and contact information.

Special Circumstances

Tell the title team about anything unusual: a 1031 exchange, an assignment, a short sale, a probate or trust sale, a FIRPTA issue, or a remote seller. Special structures need time to set up, and the earlier the team knows, the smoother the closing.

  • 1031 exchange with a qualified intermediary.
  • Assignment or double closing structure.
  • Probate, trust, or estate sale.
  • Foreign seller or FIRPTA considerations.
  • Remote signing and notarization needs.

The Bottom Line

The closing team can only move as fast as the information arrives. A complete package on day one means the title search starts immediately, the payoff is requested, and the issues surface while there is still time to fix them. That is how fast closings happen.

  • Read the guide on preparing a property for resale.
  • Use the Investor Closing Cost Estimator to plan costs.
  • Request an exact title and escrow quote when you are ready.