Your house has been on the market for a while, and you’ve finally received a solid offer. The price is right, and everything seems to be falling into place. But be cautious—just because you have an offer doesn’t mean the deal is finalized. There are still several factors that can delay the sale of your home.
While common roadblocks like a failed inspection or financing issues can slow things down, there are also unexpected challenges that may arise and significantly delay the sale of your home in Savannah, GA and Chatham County. These unforeseen problems can be frustrating and costly, so it’s crucial to be prepared for them in advance.
To help you navigate the closing process smoothly, here are four surprising issues that could delay the sale of your home—and what you can do to prevent them from disrupting your move.
PAST DUE UTILITY BILLS
In all the hustle and bustle of selling a home while keeping up with your daily life, especially if you’ve already moved into your new home, small things can slip through the cracks.
For many homeowners, the things that slip through the cracks include utility bills. Specifically, water bills.
But what does an unpaid water bill have to do with the sale going through?
If you have unpaid water bills, the title company can be prevented from obtaining a clean lien from the city. This means that a new mortgage can’t be issued as quickly, delaying the sale of your home.
To prevent this forgetfulness from causing a snag in your sale, the easiest answer is to make sure to stay on top of your bills.
However, as a stop-gap safety measure, consider opening an escrow account with your title company to cover any last-minute expenses. If the title company uncovers an unpaid water bill, they can use the funds in the escrow account to pay that bill and obtain the clean lien.
Don’t worry: Any leftover money in your escrow account after closing will be returned to you.
LAST-MINUTE DAMAGE
Finding damage in your home is never a good thing. However, if you’re just days away from closing on a house, unexpected damage from a storm, accident, or other emergency can be devastating and may delay the sale of your home.
No matter when the damage occurs—even if it happens the morning of closing—it remains the seller’s responsibility to address and repair it before the transaction can move forward. Any unresolved issues could lead to delays, renegotiations, or even the buyer walking away.
To prevent last-minute surprises, keep a close eye on the property until closing. If you’ve already moved out, consider asking a trusted neighbor or hiring a local service to check in daily. This way, you can catch and address any damage before it becomes a bigger problem.
To avoid costly out-of-pocket expenses, ensure your home insurance policy remains active until the closing is officially complete. This will allow you to file a claim for any necessary repairs and help prevent unexpected issues that could delay the sale of your home.
SURVEY PROBLEMS
While it may seem that the house you’re buying smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood will be pretty straightforward, that isn’t always the case.
If you can’t provide documentation showing the property lines, especially when fences, driveways, or even sheds are concerned, then it can delay the sale of your home. This can be an especially common problem in older neighborhoods or in smaller towns where larger sections of land were split into smaller plots, sometimes on a handshake.
Keep your home’s sale from running into boundary issues by getting an official survey done early in your sales process if you can’t find documents. Leaving this item until near the end can certainly delay the sale of your home, potentially costing you the sale altogether.
MAJOR PURCHASES
Buying a home is exciting, and some buyers jump the gun a little by stocking up on new furniture or making other purchases before closing.
Even if buyers have already been approved for a mortgage, their credit is checked again just before closing to protect the loan company’s investment. Any significant financial changes can unexpectedly delay the sale of your home.
If the buyers make a major purchase, such as a new car or furniture, or if they’ve missed payments on existing debts, their credit score may drop. This sudden dip can put their mortgage approval at risk, leading to delays or even causing the deal to fall through entirely.
To avoid last-minute financing issues that could delay the sale of your home, advise buyers to keep their finances stable until after closing. Remind them to avoid taking on new debt, making large purchases, or missing any payments to ensure a smooth transaction and prevent unnecessary complications.
