How to Close on Your New House during the Holiday Season

Buying a house can be stressful at any time, but closing around the holidays can make things even more complicated. Here are some tips to help you close on your new home before the end of the year.

Account for Holiday Schedules

Closing on a house is a complex process with a lot of moving parts. A delay in one area can spill over to another area and lead to additional delays.

During the holiday season, businesses will be closed or will have reduced hours. Your real estate agent, mortgage lender, title company, and others that are involved in the process will each have their own holiday schedules.

Some people will be using up their vacation time before the end of the year. Even if a business is open, a specific individual might not be there.

Ask each party you’re working with about their holiday hours and days off and take detailed notes. Submit paperwork to the appropriate people as soon as possible so they’ll be able to take care of important matters before they leave the office and you’ll be able to close on time.

Keep Open Lines of Communication

Respond to phone calls, texts, and emails promptly. If you reach out to someone with a question and don’t hear back within a reasonable amount of time, follow up. This is always important, but even more around the holidays, when individuals and businesses aren’t following their regular schedules. If an issue isn’t resolved before a business closes for a holiday, that can lead to a bottleneck that might delay your closing.

Stay Organized

This is another thing that’s always important, but it can be even more valuable during the holiday season. Make sure that all your necessary documents are organized and readily available. If somebody requests a document and you can provide it immediately, you’ll avoid unnecessary delays.

Ask about a Virtual Closing

You might be able to close on your new house without a face-to-face meeting. Ask your real estate agent if you can sign the documents electronically. If so, that will save you time. Also, if you can close without leaving your current home, you won’t have to worry about bad weather holding things up.

Be Patient

It’s natural to get frustrated when things don’t go the way you would like, but do your best to be understanding. Remember that everybody who is involved in your home purchase wants you to close on time. Communicate clearly, stay calm, and focus on finding solutions.

Have a Successful Holiday Closing

Buying a house during the holiday season will be stressful, but with organization and open communication, you can get through it. Follow these tips or share this blog with someone you know who wants to close on a new home by the end of the year.