Closing Day: The Final Walkthrough, Signing, and Actually Getting the Keys
Home Buyer Series — Part 6 By Jesse J. Rivas | Jesse Rivas Realty | Lodi, CA
In Part 5, we walked through the quiet stretch of final underwriting, the lender’s last check, conditional approval, and how to keep your file clean all the way to “clear to close.” This is where it all lands. The last walkthrough, the signing table, the wire, the recording, the keys. If you’ve been following the series, this is the day everything you’ve done over the last 30 to 45 days finally pays off.
The Week Before Closing
By the time you’re a week out, most of the heavy lifting is done. Your loan has been cleared, your homeowner’s insurance is in place, and the title company has the loan documents on the way. From here, it’s a short list of moving pieces, but each one matters.
A few things start happening in parallel:
Your lender prepares the final loan documents and sends them to the title or escrow company.
The title company prepares your Closing Disclosure, the federally required document that lays out exactly what you owe, what your loan looks like, and where every dollar is going. By law, you must receive this at least 3 business days before you sign. Read it carefully when it lands. Compare it to the Loan Estimate you got at the very beginning. Numbers should be close. If something looks off, ask before you sign.
You’ll get a final cash-to-close number and wiring instructions from the title company. This is the number you actually need to send in. Set it up with your bank early; wire transfers have cutoff times, and a wire that arrives on Monday afternoon for a Monday signing will push everything.
And we’ll schedule the final walkthrough, usually the day before signing, sometimes the morning of.
The Final Walkthrough
This is the last time you walk through the house before it becomes yours. It’s not another inspection. It’s a check that the home is in the same condition it was when you wrote the offer, and that any repairs the seller agreed to were completed.
When I do a final walkthrough with a client, here’s what I’m looking for:
Agreed-on repairs. If the seller agreed to fix the leaking faucet, replace the broken window, or service the HVAC, we want to see the work done, and ideally, a receipt from a licensed contractor. This is where having a construction background helps. I can usually tell quickly whether a repair was done properly or whether someone just made it look fixed.
Condition of the home. The seller is required to leave the home in substantially the same condition as you saw it. That means appliances are still working, fixtures are still in place, and there is no new damage from the move-out.
What was supposed to stay, stays. The refrigerator, the washer and dryer, the shed in the backyard, whatever was written into the contract should still be there. I’ve walked into homes where the seller took the bathroom mirrors. It happens.
Utilities are on. We want water running, lights working, and HVAC functional. You can’t really verify the home is in working order if the power is off.
No surprises. Nail holes from removed pictures are fine. A new hole in the drywall from moving the couch is not.
If something is wrong at the walkthrough, we don’t panic. Most issues can be resolved with a credit at closing or a quick agreement between agents. But the time to catch it is before you sign and not after.
Signing Day
In California, signing usually happens at a title company office, sometimes with a mobile notary at your home. You’ll spend about an hour to an hour and a half signing.
A few things to bring:
- A government-issued photo ID, driver’s license or passport
- The cashier’s check or wire confirmation for your cash-to-close (if you haven’t wired it yet)
- A pen you’re comfortable writing your name with about 40 times
The documents fall into two stacks. The first is your loan package, the promissory note, the deed of trust, disclosures, and a number of forms the lender requires. The second is the closing package from the title company, the deed transferring the property into your name, the closing statement, and other escrow paperwork.
The notary or escrow officer will walk you through every page. Don’t rush. If you don’t understand something, ask. There’s no prize for finishing in 45 minutes instead of 90.
When you walk out of that office, you’ve signed everything, but you don’t own the home yet.
What Actually Makes It Official
This is the part most people don’t realize. Signing isn’t closing.
After you sign, the loan documents go back to your lender for one final review, a step called funding. Once the lender confirms everything is in order, they wire the loan funds to the title company. That usually happens the same day or the next morning.
Once the funds are received, the title company records the deed with the San Joaquin County Recorder’s Office. The moment the deed is recorded, the home is legally yours.
In California, this is almost always a same-day or next-day event after signing. So a Friday signing might mean a Friday afternoon or Monday morning close. Your title company and I will be in close contact during this window, and I’ll let you know the second we get word that it’s recorded.
Getting the Keys
Once we get recording confirmation, I’ll meet you at the home, or hand off the keys however you prefer. Depending on the deal, the seller may have left a lockbox, a garage code, and the keys to all the doors. We’ll walk through together, make sure everything works, and figure out anything that needs immediate attention.
A few things I tell every new homeowner that day:
Change the locks. You don’t know who has a copy of the old key: contractors, neighbors, the seller’s adult kids. A locksmith can rekey the home for under $200, or you can swap out hardware yourself in an afternoon.
Find the main water shutoff and the breaker panel. Before something goes wrong. You want to know where they are when it’s calm, not at 11 p.m. with water on the floor.
Take photos of every meter and utility reading. Water, gas, electricity. If there’s a dispute later about a bill, you have a record.
Don’t start any major projects in the first week. Live in the house first. The room you thought needed paint immediately might be fine. The room you didn’t think about might be the one you want to tackle first.
What Happens After Closing
A few things show up in the weeks after you close:
Your first mortgage statement — usually within 30 days. It’ll list your loan servicer, your payment amount, and where to send the payment. Your servicer might not be the same company that originated your loan; lenders sell servicing all the time. It’s normal.
Your recorded deed — mailed to you a few weeks after closing, once the county finishes processing.
A title insurance policy — also mailed to you. Keep this. It’s the policy that protects you against any future claim to ownership of the property.
Property tax mailings. Depending on when in the year you close, you may get a supplemental tax bill from San Joaquin County. This is normal; it’s the difference between what the previous owner was paying and what your new assessment will be.
And every so often, I’ll check in. Not to sell you anything. Just to make sure the home is treating you right.
Ready to Get to the Finish Line?
If you’re working through your buying process, whether you’re still saving for a down payment, in the middle of escrow, or staring at a Closing Disclosure right now and wondering if the numbers look right, let’s talk. I’ll walk you through what to expect on your specific timeline, what to look for at the walkthrough, and what closing day actually looks like in Lodi and the surrounding Central Valley. The first conversation costs you nothing.
Reach out anytime: jesserivas@kw.com
Jesse J. Rivas is a real estate agent based in Lodi, CA, serving buyers and sellers throughout the Central Valley and Contra Costa County. Before becoming an agent, Jesse personally bought and sold six homes, and brings that firsthand experience, along with a working knowledge of construction, to every client.
Jesse Rivas Realty 