There’s a moment in every real estate transaction when everyone holds their breath: will we close on time?

Closing delays are frustrating for everyone involved. Buyers have moving trucks scheduled and leases ending. Sellers have their own purchases contingent on proceeds. Agents have worked for months to get to this point. Lenders have locked rates with expiration dates.

After closing thousands of transactions, we’ve seen what causes delays—and more importantly, what prevents them. Here are the five most common culprits and how a proactive title team works to keep your closing on track.

1. Title Issues Discovered Late in the Process

What goes wrong: A lien, judgment, or ownership question surfaces days before closing, leaving insufficient time for resolution. The unreleased mortgage from the seller’s prior refinance. The judgment against someone with a similar name. The estate that was never properly probated. These issues aren’t unusual—they’re part of why title searches exist. The problem is when they’re discovered too late.

How we prevent it: We order title work immediately upon opening escrow and prioritize rapid examination. Our team reviews search results thoroughly and flags potential issues at the earliest possible moment. When we identify a problem, we don’t wait—we immediately begin curative work and communicate with all parties.

Early discovery means more time for resolution. A lien that surfaces three weeks before closing is manageable. The same lien discovered three days before closing is a crisis.

2. Financing Delays and Last-Minute Conditions

What goes wrong: The loan isn’t fully approved, the appraisal comes in low, or the lender issues last-minute conditions that require additional documentation. Underwriters request “one more thing” repeatedly. The clear-to-close that was expected Monday doesn’t come until Thursday—after the scheduled closing.

How we prevent it: While we don’t control the loan process, we can influence timing on our end. We provide preliminary settlement figures early so lenders can prepare accurate disclosures. We respond immediately to lender requests for title information. We maintain open communication with loan officers about timeline status.

We also work with buyers and their agents to set realistic expectations. If we see that title curative work might extend the timeline, we communicate early so everyone can adjust financing timelines accordingly.

3. Document Errors and Preparation Delays

What goes wrong: Names are spelled incorrectly. Legal descriptions don’t match. Figures don’t calculate properly. Power of attorney documents aren’t acceptable to the lender. Errors in closing documents mean re-draws, re-signing, and delays that push closings back hours or days.

How we prevent it: We verify information at intake and confirm accuracy throughout the process. Before preparing final documents, we double-check names against identification, legal descriptions against title commitments, and figures against lender disclosures. We prepare documents with enough lead time to allow for review and corrections before signing.

Our quality control processes exist specifically to catch errors before they matter. It’s far easier to fix a mistake on Tuesday than to discover it at the signing table on Friday.

4. Seller-Side Complications

What goes wrong: The seller can’t provide required documents. There’s a lien they didn’t know about. They’re going through a divorce and signature authority is unclear. They haven’t arranged for payoff of their existing mortgage. They’re traveling and can’t sign when needed.

How we prevent it: We engage with sellers early and directly. We request information and documents at opening, not days before closing. We order payoff statements promptly and follow up on any discrepancies. We communicate about signing logistics well in advance.

When complications arise—and they do—early discovery gives us time to work through solutions. A seller in Europe isn’t a problem if we know about it three weeks out and can arrange remote signing. It’s a major problem if we learn about it the week of closing.

5. Communication Breakdowns

What goes wrong: The buyer didn’t know they needed to wire funds by 10 AM. The seller didn’t realize they needed to sign separately from their spouse. The agent thought the other agent was handling something. Critical information didn’t reach the right person at the right time.

How we prevent it: We over-communicate. We send timeline emails. We make confirmation calls. We don’t assume everyone knows what we know. When something is important, we communicate it directly to everyone who needs to act on it.

We also serve as the central coordination point for the transaction. We know what the lender needs, what the agents expect, what the parties have committed to. When things don’t align, we flag the disconnect before it becomes a delay.

The Proactive Difference

Notice the theme running through all five of these? Early action beats late reaction. Every time.

A reactive title company waits for problems to surface, then scrambles to address them. A proactive title company anticipates problems, catches them early, and resolves them before they threaten your closing date.

This isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter. It’s about having systems that surface issues early. It’s about having experienced team members who know what to look for. It’s about prioritizing communication so nothing falls through the cracks.

What You Can Do

A proactive title team makes a difference, but everyone involved in a transaction can contribute to on-time closing:

• Respond promptly to requests for documents or information
• Disclose issues early—if you know something might complicate the transaction, share it sooner rather than later
• Calendar deadlines and take action with time to spare
• Communicate openly with your agent, lender, and title company
• Ask questions when anything is unclear

Closings work best when everyone is proactive—when buyers, sellers, agents, lenders, and the title team all approach the transaction with urgency and attention.

Our Commitment

We know that closing on time matters. We know that delays have real consequences for real people. That’s why we’ve built our processes around prevention rather than reaction.

We can’t guarantee that every closing will proceed without any complications—real estate is too complex for that. But we can guarantee that we’ll work proactively to identify and resolve issues at the earliest possible moment, that we’ll communicate openly about status and challenges, and that we’ll do everything in our control to get you to the closing table on time.

Planning a transaction and want a title team that prioritizes your timeline? Let’s talk about how we can help ensure a smooth, on-time closing.