Because November is known as the month of giving thanks, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the wonderful professionals that we work with who are involved in a real estate transaction. Real estate transactions can be extremely stressful as the stakes are high for borrowers, buyers, and sellers alike who look to their real estate professionals to best represent their interests. For potential buyers looking to purchase their first home, this article explains who the players are and their roles. We are grateful for the collaboration and partnership with each of the key players involved in ensuring a smooth transaction for the homebuyers.
A loan officer helps borrowers by assessing applicants potential buyers assess the loan amount and purchase price for which they qualify from on if and how much money they can borrow from a lending institution like a bank or online lender. It is essential that your loan officer be well-informed about the various loan programs available including first-time home buyer programs so they can find the best loan programs that fit borrower’s needs. Loan officers assist borrowers with their loan applications and can give homebuyers a pre-approval letter which gives them “buying power” when inputting an putting an offer on a home. Loan officers work with the loan underwriters to make sure that all the requirements of the lender are being met and communicate that to the borrowers. Once the underwriter approves a loan, the loan officer and their team will spend the rest of the transaction coordinating with the title company to close the loan.
The next key person in a real estate transaction is the real estate agent! Real estate agents are licensed professionals who represent the buyer or seller, guiding them through the transaction. Real estate agents can assist their clients with buying, selling, and renting homes, apartments, and commercial properties. They are responsible for legally representing their clients, keeping their clients informed, negotiating, researching, marketing, and communicating with other parties. For real estate agents, working remotely really can look like working out of their car since they are always on the move!
Next, we have the title agent who conducts a search of the property’s ownership interests to make sure that the property has a clear title and can be transferred to the buyer without issues. Title agents issue title insurance policies, which safeguard homeowners and lenders against financial losses arising from issues and claims related to the property. This role can differ from state to state depending on whether or not they handle escrow monies as some states require that title and escrow be handled by two different entities.
Escrow officers or real estate attorneys may also be involved in the closing process of a real estate transaction. The process varies by state but typically the closing process is handled by escrow offers in western states like Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and other states such as Ohio and Texas, while states primarily in the east such as the Carolinas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and others are handled by real estate attorneys. It’s important to find out what’s required in your state. In some states, title and escrow officers play a more central role in the closing process while in other states, real estate attorneys are required to handle the closing.
There are many other important players in a real estate transaction such as appraisers, home inspectors, and others that we are grateful to work with.
As you can see, a lot goes into the transactions. We at ATG Title are so thankful for our real estate colleagues and recognize the work that you all put in. We hope that this blog is informative to our readers and helps them understand the important roles involved in a smooth transaction. Please be sure to give a warm thank you to the next real estate professional that you work with!
