13.7. After the Closing

All of the papers have been signed and all of the funds distributed. But the transaction isn't quite over yet. You might be ready to shout, "I'm a homeowner!" from the rooftops, but that's not how the world finds out that you now own a home.

To make everything official, your closing agent or attorney must record the deed in your local property records office. In some areas, the closing agent can record the deed electronically, which takes just a few minutes. In other areas, someone—the closing agent, an assistant, or a courier—goes to the records office to record the deed. Especially in the case of an in-person recording, it may take a day or so to file the paperwork. Once your local government has the new deed on record, you're done. The home is yours. Now you can shout from the rooftops.