Nov 8, 2026 · 22 min
Closing day demands precision beyond the signature
When the House Changes Hands!
A real estate transaction is not complete when documents are signed, and small errors involving funds, repairs, or paperwork can delay the handoff.
- 1Buyers and sellers should verify figures, documents, repairs, utilities, identification, and access details before closing day.
- 2Wire fraud prevention depends on independently confirming instructions and arranging cleared funds through a properly prepared wire.
- 3Funding, lender approval, document recording, and disbursement—not signatures alone—complete the transaction.
Don't miss
Nishad Khan explains why signing alone does not complete a transaction: funds, approvals, recording, and lender authorization still have to align.
The brief
Stephen Gaskway and closing attorney Nishad Khan frame closing as a coordinated process, not a single appointment, with buyers and sellers carrying different responsibilities before signing day.
Khan’s checklist covers verified figures, frozen financial activity, completed repairs, preserved utilities, reviewed proceeds, secure wire instructions, and keys or access items ready for transfer.
The sharpest warning concerns fraud: independently confirm wire instructions by phone, use cleared funds, and treat cashier’s or certified checks as potential sources of risk.
The episode compares in-person, hybrid, and remote closings, showing how state law, notarization, recording, lender rules, and title requirements shape electronic transactions.
Its central clarification is easy to miss: signing does not finish the deal; funds must clear, documents must be approved, and the lender must authorize funding and disbursement.
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