You’re about to wire a lot of money, sign a stack of documents, and walk away with a property. But do you actually know what your attorney, your title company, and your lender are each doing to make that happen?
Here’s how it all works.
How Attorneys Fit Into a Real Estate Closing in Illinois
In Illinois, attorneys play a unique role. They work as limited title agents for title companies and provide what the industry calls core title services. That means they’re the ones evaluating whether a title is insurable, reviewing the chain of title and related searches, handling any exceptions or issues that come up, coordinating the clearance of defects, and preparing the closing documents.
In other words, your attorney isn’t just reviewing paperwork. They’re doing a lot of the hands on title work that makes the closing possible.
What Happens Before Closing Day
Most of the work happens before anyone sits down at a table.
Title search. This is where we come in. We search the public records to make sure the property can actually be transferred. We’re looking for liens, judgments, easements, anything that could cause a problem. If something comes up, we work with the attorneys to get it resolved before closing.
Title commitment. Think of this as a preview of the title insurance policy. It lays out the conditions that need to be met before we’ll insure the title. Your attorney reviews this carefully.
Document prep. The lender, attorneys, and title company are all coordinating documents. Loan docs, transfer docs, tax prorations. There’s a lot more math than people expect.
What Happens on Closing Day
Here’s what it actually looks like when you sit down.
Sellers typically sign before closing day. The deed, power of attorney, and other seller documents are usually handled ahead of time so closing day itself moves smoothly.
Buyers sign at closing. Mortgage documents, the closing statement, and other lender required paperwork. Your attorney should walk you through each one.
Money changes hands. The buyer’s funds get wired to the title company. We distribute them according to the settlement statement. Seller gets paid, lender gets paid, taxes and fees get handled. Those wire instructions should come through a secure platform, not email. At Chicago Title, we use Start inHere for exactly this reason. Wire fraud is a serious problem right now, and how you receive wiring instructions matters.
The deed gets recorded. After closing, we record the deed with the county. This is what makes it official. You now own the property.
Title insurance gets issued. The owner’s policy protects the buyer. The lender’s policy protects the bank. Both are based on that title search we did earlier.
What About Remote Closings?
Not everyone can be there in person, and that’s fine. Sellers often sign their documents remotely ahead of closing day. Some lenders also allow buyers to sign their loan documents through remote online notarization. The process is the same. The documents are the same. You just sign from wherever you are.
If you’re an attorney or agent coordinating a remote closing, we can help set that up.
Common Questions About Real Estate Closings
How long does it take? A lender closing is typically about an hour. Cash deals can be quicker.
Do I need to bring anything? Your attorney will give you a list. For amounts over $50,000, you’ll send a wire. Do not bring a personal check for six figures. That will not work.
What if something goes wrong? That’s why you have an attorney and a title company. Issues come up. We resolve them. That’s the job.
The Big Picture
A closing is the finish line of a transaction that’s been in motion for weeks or months. By the time you’re sitting at the table, most of the heavy lifting is done.
Your job as a buyer or seller is to show up, sign where your attorney tells you, and ask questions if something doesn’t make sense.
Our job is to make sure the title is clean, the funds are secure, and the transfer happens smoothly.
Thanks for reading. Now go pop the champagne. 🍾
