You sign the purchase agreement. Your agent texts "under contract." And then... you wait? Sort of. What actually happens between that moment and closing day is a tightly sequenced checklist of money, paperwork, inspections, appraisals, title work, and loan approvals. Miss a deadline in that chain and deals fall apart.
In central Ohio, most transactions take 30 to 45 days from executed contract to closing. Cash deals can close in 10 to 14 days. FHA and VA loans often run closer to 45 days because the underwriting process includes additional steps. Conventional loans usually land in the 30 to 35 day range if the buyer is responsive and the property is clean.
Here is what that window actually looks like, broken into the phases I walk every client through.
Week One and Two: Money Moves and Inspections Start
The clock starts the moment both parties sign. Every deadline in the purchase agreement is measured from that date, so week one is action-heavy.
Earnest money into escrow. In Ohio, your earnest money deposit (typically 1% to 2% of the purchase price, though this is negotiable) gets wired to the title company, usually within two to three business days of signing. It sits there and gets applied to your cash-to-close at the end. If the deal falls through for a contingency-covered reason, it comes back. If you walk for a reason not covered by your contingencies, you risk losing it.
Loan application and initial disclosures. If you were pre-approved, now you convert that into a full mortgage application on this specific property. Your lender has three business days to send you a Loan Estimate. That document shows your projected interest rate, monthly payment, closing costs, and cash to close. Review it carefully and ask questions before it becomes the Closing Disclosure at the end.
Inspections. This is the most compressed window in the whole process. Standard purchase agreements in Franklin County and Delaware County give buyers 10 to 14 days for inspection. That means you are scheduling the home inspection within the first 72 hours, getting results back by day four or five, and negotiating any repair requests or credits before the deadline.
I tell buyers to add radon testing to every inspection. Ohio ranks among the higher-radon states, and radon mitigation systems in Columbus typically run $800 to $1,200. That is a negotiating point worth knowing. Sewer scope inspection is worth adding for any home over 20 years old; tree root intrusion is common in Westerville's older subdivisions. Specialty inspections (HVAC, structural engineering, chimney) get layered in if the general inspector flags something.
The inspection negotiation is one of the highest-leverage moments in the deal. What you ask for, how you frame it, and what you let go matters. A good agent does not treat the inspection list as an opportunity to nickel-and-dime and blow up goodwill. The goal is to get the real issues addressed.
Week Three and Four: Appraisal, Title Work, and Underwriting
Once inspections are resolved and that contingency is cleared, the behind-the-scenes work accelerates.
Appraisal. Your lender orders an independent appraisal to confirm the property's value supports the loan amount. In central Ohio, appraisers typically turn results around in seven to fourteen days, though tight markets can extend that. If the appraisal comes in at or above purchase price, you move forward. If it comes in low, you have options: renegotiate the price, pay the gap in cash, request a reconsideration of value (ROV), or, in some contracts, exit the deal if you have an appraisal contingency.
A low appraisal is not a crisis. I have worked through more of them than I can count. The path forward depends on how motivated both sides are and how the contract was written.
Title search. The title company runs a public records search on the property going back decades to confirm the seller has clear, transferable ownership. They are looking for liens (unpaid taxes, contractor liens, HOA judgments), easements, boundary disputes, or any other cloud on title. Most searches come back clean. When they do not, the title company and attorneys work through clearing the issue before closing. This is why title insurance exists on both the lender side and the buyer side.
Underwriting. Your loan file is in the hands of the underwriter now. They are verifying your income, employment, assets, and credit against the property appraisal. They will issue a list of conditions, things you need to provide before they will approve the loan. Common conditions include updated pay stubs, a letter of explanation for a large bank deposit, proof of homeowners insurance, or additional documentation on a self-employment situation.
Respond to underwriting conditions fast. Every day of delay at this stage compresses the back end of the timeline.
Week Five and Six: Clear to Close, Closing Disclosure, Final Walkthrough
If everything lands correctly, this is where the deal comes together.
Clear to close. When the underwriter signs off on all conditions, they issue a clear to close (CTC). That is the signal that the loan is approved and the closing can be scheduled. You want this at least a week before your scheduled closing date to allow time for the Closing Disclosure review period.
Closing Disclosure. Federal law requires your lender to send you the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. That document shows your final loan terms, confirmed interest rate, and exact cash-to-close figure. Compare it carefully to the original Loan Estimate. Most numbers should be close. If something changed significantly, ask your lender before you get to the closing table.
Final walkthrough. Within 24 hours of closing, you and I do a final walkthrough of the property. The purpose is to confirm the home is in the same condition as when you made your offer and that any negotiated repairs were actually completed. This is not a second inspection. It is a check that the property is broom clean, appliances and systems are functioning, and the sellers moved out.
If a repair was not done or the property is trashed, that gets resolved before closing, not after you take ownership.
Closing Day: Signing and Keys
Closing in Ohio typically takes one to two hours. Buyers and sellers can close together at the title company or separately, whichever works for the parties.
What you bring. You will need a government-issued photo ID and your certified funds or wire confirmation for cash-to-close. Do not wait until the morning of closing to wire money; wires can take hours to process and same-day wires have a cutoff time. Get it done the day before.
What happens. You sign the loan documents (there are a lot of them), the title transfer documents, and a stack of disclosures. The title company collects and disburses funds. The seller signs the deed and the transfer documents.
When you get the keys. Once all signatures are in and the deed is recorded with the county recorder's office, you own the home. Recording typically happens the same day. The title company confirms, the agent confirms, and you get the keys.
That moment is always a little surreal, no matter how many times I see it.
The Timeline Depends on You Too
Delays almost always come from the same places: slow response to underwriting conditions, inspection negotiations that drag, appraisal disputes that take time to resolve, and title issues that need legal work. Buyers who move fast on paperwork, stay in contact with their lender, and make decisions without hesitation close on schedule or early. Buyers who go quiet for a few days can create a domino effect that pushes the closing date back.
Your agent and your lender both need to be responsive for this to move the way it should. That is a reasonable standard to hold them to.
Want a Custom Timeline for Your Deal?
If you are buying or selling in Columbus, Westerville, or the surrounding suburbs and want a date-by-date contract-to-close roadmap built around your specific loan type and situation, call or text me directly.
Adam Geuy, Realtor - NextHome Experience ABR, SRS, PSA | License #202000794 937.239.2919 | calendly.com/adam-geuy
Each office is independently owned and operated.