Category: Memphis & North Mississippi

Once you accept an offer, the clock starts. Here’s what Memphis sellers can expect between signing the contract and handing over the keys.

Step 1: The title company opens your file

Your agent sends the contract to the title company. You’ll receive an invitation to a secure portal and a seller information sheet asking for your loan details, HOA information, forwarding address, and marital status.

Step 2: Title search and payoffs

We search the property records and request payoff statements from your mortgage lender and any other lienholders. If there’s a home equity line, it must be paid off and closed so it can’t be drawn again.

Step 3: Inspections and repairs

The buyer completes inspections and may request repairs. Keep receipts for completed work — they’re often needed before closing.

Step 4: Reviewing your settlement statement

A few days before closing, you’ll receive your estimated settlement statement showing the sale price, payoffs, commissions, prorated property taxes, any seller concessions, the Tennessee transfer tax if you agreed to pay it, and your estimated net proceeds.

Step 5: Closing day

Bring a valid photo ID for everyone on the deed. You’ll sign the deed, affidavits, and the settlement statement. Many sellers sign ahead of the buyers or through a mail-away package if they’ve already moved.

Step 6: Getting paid

Proceeds are disbursed after the buyer’s funds are received and the lender authorizes funding — often the same day in Tennessee. Your bank details should be collected through a secure, verified process, never by email.

Seller tips

• Tell us early about estates, divorces, liens, or name changes.
• Leave all keys, openers, and codes for the buyer.
• Don’t cancel homeowners insurance or utilities until after closing.
• Want to know your bottom line before listing? Ask for a free seller net sheet.

Related: Mortgage Calculators · Closing Services · Escrow Services

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Every transaction is different — consult your attorney, lender, or tax professional about your situation.

DeSoto County is one of the fastest-growing areas in the Mid-South, and many Memphis-area families move across the state line to Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, and Hernando. If you’re used to Tennessee closings, a few things work differently in Mississippi.

One team for title, escrow, and closing

Sure Title handles title insurance, escrow, and closing coordination for DeSoto County transactions, so you have one organized point of contact from contract to keys — with the same secure portal and fraud protections we use on every Memphis closing.

No state transfer tax

Unlike Tennessee’s $0.37 per $100 transfer tax, Mississippi does not charge a state real estate transfer tax. That can make buyer and seller costs noticeably lower. You’ll still pay county recording fees at the Chancery Clerk’s office.

Property taxes and homestead

Mississippi property taxes are generally paid in arrears and prorated at closing. Owner-occupants should look into Mississippi’s homestead exemption through the county after closing — it can reduce your tax bill, but you must apply.

Title insurance still matters

A title search and title insurance work together. The search reviews the public records; title insurance is a financial guarantee that covers losses from covered defects the search may not reveal. Most lenders require a lender’s policy, and an owner’s policy protects your equity.

Tips for a smooth DeSoto County closing

• Get homeowners insurance quotes early — rates can differ from Shelby County.
• Ask your lender about property tax escrow estimates for your specific city.
• Verify wire instructions by phone, just as you would in Tennessee.
• Choose a title team experienced on both sides of the state line.

Related: North Mississippi Closings · Title Insurance · Mortgage Calculators

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Every transaction is different — consult your attorney, lender, or tax professional about your situation.

If you’re buying a home in Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, or anywhere in Shelby County, a title company will play a central role in your transaction — even if you only meet the team on closing day. Here’s what actually happens behind the scenes, and why it protects your investment.

1. Opening the order

Once you and the seller sign a purchase contract, your Realtor® sends it to the title company. At Sure Title, we open the file the same business day, confirm everyone involved (buyers, sellers, agents, lender), and invite each party to a secure online portal where they can track progress and share documents.

2. Searching the title

“Title” is the legal right to own the property. We search county records for every deed, mortgage, lien, judgment, and tax record connected to the property and the seller. The goal is to confirm the seller can legally sell the home and to uncover anything that could cloud your ownership — an old unreleased mortgage, a contractor’s lien, unpaid property taxes, or a missing heir from a prior estate.

3. Issuing the title commitment

The results become a title commitment: a document listing the current owner, the requirements that must be satisfied before closing (like paying off the seller’s mortgage), and the exceptions the policy won’t cover (like recorded easements). Your agent and lender review it so there are no surprises.

4. Clearing problems early

If the search turns up issues, the title company works to resolve them — ordering payoffs, getting lien releases, or coordinating with attorneys on estate or probate questions. Catching these early is the difference between closing on time and pushing your date.

5. Holding funds in escrow

Your earnest money and closing funds are held in a neutral escrow account. The title company only disburses money according to the contract and the lender’s instructions, and every dollar is reconciled.

6. Running the closing

We prepare and balance the settlement statement with your lender, schedule the signing, verify identities, notarize documents, and walk you through every page. Most signings take 30–60 minutes.

7. Recording and issuing title insurance

After closing, we record the deed and deed of trust with the Shelby County Register of Deeds (electronically, in most cases), pay off the seller’s loans, disburse proceeds and commissions, and issue your owner’s and lender’s title insurance policies.

Why your choice of title company matters

• Speed: a fast, organized title company keeps your closing date.
• Security: wire fraud targets real estate closings. Look for identity verification and secure wire instructions.
• Communication: you should be able to see your file’s status without chasing emails.

In Tennessee, buyers have the right to choose their title company, though many rely on their Realtor’s recommendation. Ask about technology, fraud protection, and experience before you sign.

Related: Title Insurance · Closing Services · Memphis Title Company

This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Every transaction is different — consult your attorney, lender, or tax professional about your situation.