« BUYERS & SELLERS / REAL ESTATE AND ESCROW PROCESS

Real Estate and Escrow Process

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3
  • Step 4
  • Step 5

Buying Experience

Find your home

  • Compare lenders, determine your budget, and get pre-qualified
  • Choose a real estate agent
  • Tour properties
  • Choose a home
  • Write and present your offer
  • Negotiate terms and/or seller accepts your offer

NEXT: Open escrow with Pioneer Title Agency

Selling Experience

Sell your home

  • Choose a real estate agent
    • Thinking of doing it yourself? Click here for our for-sale-by-owner tools.
  • Prepare and stage your home
  • List your property
  • Your agent begins marketing (i.e. open houses, internet marketing, etc.)
  • Receive and review offer(s)
  • Negotiate terms and/or accept offer

NEXT: Open escrow with Pioneer Title Agency

Buying Experience

Open escrow with
Pioneer Title Agency

  • Escrow officer orders title and preliminary report
    • We will conduct a search on property and sellers: owners of record, liens, divorces, etc.
  • Deposit earnest money in escrow
  • Escrow officer sends escrow and title fees to the lender
  • Complete initial title and escrow instructions
  • Lender orders appraisal
    • Appraisals ensure the property is valued accurately. A licensed or certified appraiser will assess the size and condition of the property along with additional upgrades and features, then compare to similar houses in the area to determine what the property is worth
  • Order and complete inspections
  • Agree upon any additional negotiations
    • You have the option to submit a Buyer Inspection Notice Seller Response (BINSR) to the seller regarding the condition of the property and ask for items to be repaired or remedied
  • Supply lender with proof of homeowner’s insurance
  • Complete loan process
  • Order a home warranty (if applicable)

NEXT: Close of Escrow with Pioneer Title Agency

Selling Experience

Open escrow with
Pioneer Title Agency

  • Escrow officer orders title and preliminary report
    • We will conduct a search on property and sellers: owners of record, liens, divorces, etc.
  • Complete initial title and escrow instructions
    • click here to see what information escrow needs from the seller (link to blog doc)
  • Complete payoffs and other requirements to clear title
  • Appraisal and inspections ordered and completed
    • Appraisals ensure the property is valued accurately. A licensed or certified appraiser will assess the size and condition of the property along with additional upgrades and features, then compare to similar houses in the area to determine what the property is worth
  • Agree upon any additional negotiations.
    • Buyer may submit a Buyer Inspection Notice Seller Response (BINSR) to the seller regarding the condition of the property and ask for items to be repaired or remedied

NEXT: Close of Escrow with Pioneer Title Agency

Buying Experience

Close of Escrow with
Pioneer Title Agency

  • Schedule your signing appointment
  • Review closing documents before closing appointment
  • Sign loan documents (lender sends to Pioneer Title Agency)
  • Sign title and escrow documentation
  • Stretch your hands—there’s a lot of paperwork to sign.
  • Submit down payment and escrow closing costs
    • WTF! Choosing to wire your closing funds? Watch out for Wire Transfer Fraud!
  • Lender submits funds to escrow for disbursement
  • Deed is recorded
  • Escrow is closed
    • In Arizona, escrow is closed—and buyers can receive the keys—when the necessary documents are recorded with the county recorder

NEXT: Celebrate!

Selling Experience

Close of Escrow with
Pioneer Title Agency

  • Schedule your signing appointment
    • A government-issued photo ID (sorry, your Costco membership doesn’t count),
      A cashier’s check for your closing funds
      Confetti (okay, not required, but totally acceptable)
  • Review closing documents before closing appointment
  • Sign title and escrow documentation
  • Stretch your hands—there’s a lot of paperwork to sign.
  • Submit closing escrow closing costs
    • WTF! Choosing to wire your closing funds? Watch out for Wire Transfer Fraud!
  • Funds are dispersed
  • Deed is recorded
  • Escrow is closed
    • In Arizona, escrow is closed—and buyers can receive the keys—when the necessary documents are recorded with the county recorder

NEXT: Celebrate!

Buying Experience

Celebrate!

  • Pop that bottle and toss the confetti! You just bought a house!

NEXT: Move in

Selling Experience

Celebrate!

  • Pop that bottle and toss the confetti! You just sold a house!

NEXT: Move out

Buying Experience

Move In

  • Change your locks
  • Set up utilities
  • Complete repairs
  • Clean your new home
  • Unpack
  • Explore your neighborhood
  • Keep an eye in the mail for important documents from PTA

Selling Experience

Move Out

  • Pack up your belongings
  • Transport valuables
  • Cancel utilities
  • Empty/defrost refrigerators
  • Change your address
  • Keep an eye in the mail for additional important documents from PTA

Wire Transfer Fraud

WTF! Every day, hackers try to steal money by emailing or calling with fake wire instructions. The scariest part: they’re often successful! We cannot stress this enough: the wire instructions you receive in your opening package will not change. Always verify wiring instructions by calling your Pioneer Title Agency Escrow Officer and speaking to someone in-person.

FOR SALE BY OWNER

Thinking of selling your home on your own? We can help! From marketing materials to worksheets, and even a handy workbook, we’re here to support you from start to close.

RESOURCES

Need a little extra support? We’ve got what you need.