1. Buyers and Sellers – Talk with your real estate agent or escrow officer about how you want to communicate during the escrow period. Email, phone, fax, mail? Will your real estate agent communicate to escrow on your behalf?
2. Buyers and Sellers – Be prepared to submit to Escrow, one of following: Social Security Number, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for non-US citizens, or Employer Identification Numbers (EIN) for entities.
3. Buyers – Discuss with your attorney how you want to hold Title and Tenancy. This information will be required by Escrow shortly after opening of escrow. Provide Trust, Corporate Authority Documents, or original Power of Attorney to Escrow, if applicable.
4. Buyers and Sellers – Doing a 1031 Exchange? Provide the name of the exchange company to Escrow within 2 weeks of opening escrow.
5. Sellers – Discuss FIRPTA / HARPTA tax with your tax consultant if you are either a non-Hawaii resident or a non-US citizen. Forms are sent with the opening letter to seller; completed copies are provided to the buyer.
6. Buyers and Sellers – You’ll receive an opening letter from Escrow with documents for you to sign. Please read all documents carefully and return signed documents promptly to Escrow.
7. Buyers – Provide to Escrow your new lender’s name and contact information for your new loan (if applicable). Sellers – Provide to Escrow your lender’s name and loan number to enable payoff of your loan.
8. Buyers and Sellers – Write down your escrow number, the name of your escrow officer and escrow associate – you’ll find it in the opening letter. For security reasons, escrow will not provide you with information unless you know your escrow number.
9. Buyers and Sellers – Are you traveling out of state any time during escrow? If so, be sure to let your lender, real estate agent and escrow officer know.
10. Buyers and Sellers – Read the “Preliminary Title Report” you receive from Escrow to learn about any easements or encroachments on the property. Talk with your real estate agent if you have questions.
11. Final document signing will take place approximately 4 to 10 days prior to recording / closing. Signing date depends upon whether you are in Hawaii or on the mainland. If outside US, allow more time. You will receive a tentative closing statement for costs and/or income prior to recordation. Upon recording / closing, you’ll receive a final statement (HUD-1).
12. Buyers – When you or your lender transfer funds for your purchase, you must use either a Hawaii bank cashier’s check or Federal Reserve wired funds.
Questions? Visit the Title Guaranty website: www.tghawaii.com
Title Guaranty of Hawaii, Corporate Training. All rights to these materials are reserved; no reproduction without prior written consent
12 Escrow Tips for Buyers and Sellers
