ATG Title

Real Estate Closing & Escrow Services Across the DMV

Coordinated closing services and neutral third-party escrow for residential and commercial real estate transactions in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The #1 ranked title company in DC, serving every closing across the DMV since 2008.

Remote Online Notary  ·  Digital Closings  ·  Mobile Notary anywhere in the DMV  ·  Under-1-Hour Response

Get a Quote

What ATG Title Handles at Every Closing

A real estate closing is the moment a property officially transfers from seller to buyer. Done well, it is one signature ceremony at the end of a coordinated 30-45 day process. Done badly, it is wire fraud, missed deadlines, and surprise title defects.

ATG Title coordinates every step in between. We handle the title search, escrow, document preparation, signing logistics, fund disbursement, and recording — for residential, commercial, refinance, and 1031 exchange transactions across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Our 4-Step Closing Process

1

Title search & commitment

Pull the property's full ownership history, identify any liens, judgments, easements, or title defects, and issue your title commitment within 3-5 business days.

2

Escrow & document prep

Open the escrow account to hold earnest money and closing funds. Prepare deed, settlement statement, lender package, and all closing documents.

3

Signing & coordination

Schedule signing in any of our 9 DMV offices, via Remote Online Notary, or with our mobile notary anywhere in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Coordinate with lender, sellers, agents, attorneys.

4

Fund disbursement & recording

Disburse funds to all parties through our secure escrow, record the deed with the local jurisdiction, and issue your title insurance policy. You leave with keys and a clean title.

What Is Escrow — and Why It Matters

Escrow is a neutral third-party arrangement where ATG Title holds funds and documents until every condition of the sale is met. Buyers know their earnest money is safe; sellers know they will be paid the moment the deed records; lenders know their wire arrives intact.

ATG Title's escrow operations are fully digital, wire-fraud-resistant, and ALTA Best Practices aligned:

  • Secure ePay portal for earnest money — encrypted, audited, and tracked in real time
  • Verified wire instructions — issued through a hardened channel that defeats man-in-the-middle email fraud
  • Same-day disbursement at closing — sellers receive proceeds the day they sign, not 3 days later
  • Real-time status visibility — every party (buyer, seller, agent, lender, attorney) sees the same dashboard from contract to recording

Residential vs. Commercial Closings

Residential

Single-family, condo, townhouse

  • Timeline: 30-45 days contract to close
  • Title search: 3-5 business days
  • Signing options: in-office, mobile notary, or Remote Online Notary
  • Common issues: liens, missing payoffs, HOA estoppels, survey discrepancies
  • Closing fee structure: typically 0.5% to 1% of purchase price for combined services
Commercial

Multi-LLC, multi-parcel, retail, office, multifamily

  • Timeline: 60-95 days for typical transactions
  • Title search: includes zoning, environmental, and entity history review
  • Signing options: coordinated multi-state and international signers welcome
  • Common issues: entity authority documentation, multi-parcel boundaries, complex leasehold interests
  • Underwriter shopping: we shop rates across First American, Stewart, Fidelity, WFG (where state law allows)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a real estate closing take in the DMV?
A standard residential closing in the DMV takes 30-45 days from contract signing to closing day. Commercial closings typically take 60-95 days due to additional zoning, environmental, and entity research. ATG Title coordinates timeline acceleration when sellers and lenders agree.
What is the difference between closing and escrow?
Escrow is the neutral holding arrangement for funds and documents during the transaction. Closing is the actual signing event when the property transfers. Escrow runs from contract through closing day. ATG Title manages both as one coordinated service.
Can I close remotely with ATG Title?
Yes. ATG Title offers Remote Online Notary (RON) for jurisdictions that accept it, plus Mobile Notary services anywhere in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Out-of-state and international buyers close with us regularly.
If the deal falls through, do I get my earnest money back?
Earnest money refunds depend on the contract's contingency terms. If the buyer terminates within an active contingency (financing, inspection, appraisal), the earnest money is generally returned. ATG Title disburses earnest money strictly per the executed contract — never based on either party's verbal request alone.
What is the difference between a residential and commercial closing?
Commercial closings are typically more complex than residential because they involve zoning analysis, environmental reviews, entity authority documentation (LLCs, partnerships, trusts), multi-parcel transactions, and often multiple lenders. Timelines run 60-95 days vs. 30-45 for residential. ATG Title's commercial team handles multi-LLC, multi-parcel, and complex commercial structures as routine workflow.
How do I submit earnest money?
ATG Title provides a secure ePay portal at atgtitle.com/send-earnest-money — your funds transfer over an encrypted, verified channel that prevents wire-fraud interception. We confirm receipt in real time and apply the funds to escrow on contract execution.
What happens at the actual closing appointment?
You sign the deed, settlement statement, lender documents, and any required affidavits. ATG Title then disburses escrow funds, records the deed with the local jurisdiction, and issues your title insurance policy. Total appointment time: typically 30-60 minutes for residential, 60-90 minutes for commercial.

Ready to Schedule Your Closing?

9 DMV office locations · Remote Online Notary · Mobile notary anywhere · Under-1-hour response on every active file.

Get a QuoteCall (703) 934-2100

Related ATG Title Services

Explore other ways ATG Title can serve your real estate transaction.

Title Insurance
ALTA owner’s and lender’s policies — one integrated closing from ATG.
Learn More →
Services for Lenders
Under-1-hour file response SLA, TRID-compliant closings, digital disbursement.
Learn More →
Services for Homeowners
RON, mobile notary, and in-person closings at any of our 9 DMV offices.
Learn More →