Relocation Closing-Week Risk Checklist

The seven days before closing carry more transaction risk than any other week in the purchase process. For relocation buyers — coordinating a move from out of state, managing employer logistics, and closing on a home you've toured twice — the margin for error is razor thin. This checklist keeps you ahead of it.

Why Is Closing Week the Highest-Risk Period for Relocation Buyers?

By closing week, you've already done the hard work: you found the home, negotiated the contract, and cleared inspection. What remains sounds administrative but is actually where transactions fall apart. Wire fraud targets this window specifically. Insurance lapses derail lender final approval. Utility transfer timing misses leave you without gas or electric on move-in day. And a final walkthrough that catches unreported damage can throw the entire timeline into question.

Out-of-state buyers have an added disadvantage: you can't easily drive over to verify things in person. This checklist compensates for that distance with explicit, sequenced tasks.

What Should You Do 7 Days Before Closing?

• Confirm homeowner's insurance is bound and documents are sent to your lender. The lender needs a declarations page before issuing the clear-to-close. If you're using an out-of-state insurer, confirm they write policies in Pennsylvania. Many national carriers have PA-specific requirements for coverage minimums on older homes.
• Contact utility providers to schedule transfer. Duquesne Light (electricity), Peoples Natural Gas, and your municipality's water authority all require separate transfer requests. Schedule for closing day + 1 to ensure there's no gap in service.
• Confirm mover scheduling with a buffer day. Schedule your movers for closing day + 1 at the earliest. Closings can run late, recording can delay key transfer, and you don't want a moving truck arriving before you legally own the home.

What Should You Do 48 Hours Before Closing?

• Initiate your wire transfer or obtain a cashier's check. Most North Hills title companies require funds in their escrow account before closing begins. Wires initiated the morning of closing often don't clear in time. Initiate at least 48 hours out and confirm receipt with the title company the day before.
• Verify wire instructions by phone — this is mandatory, not optional. Before initiating any wire, call the title company directly using a phone number from their official website. Confirm the bank name, routing number, account number, and your reference number by voice. Do not rely solely on instructions received by email. Pennsylvania real estate closings are a primary target for wire fraud, and a fraudulent wire cannot be recovered.
• Confirm employer relocation coordinator approval if applicable. If your company is paying closing costs or providing a housing allowance, confirm with your HR or relocation coordinator that they have approved the final closing cost amount. A last-minute discrepancy in what's covered can require a contract amendment with no time to execute it.

What Does the Final Walkthrough Need to Confirm?

Schedule your final walkthrough within 24 hours of closing, not a week before. The purpose is not to re-inspect the home — it's to verify that the home is in the condition agreed to in the contract. Specifically, confirm:

• All agreed repairs have been completed — request documentation (receipts or contractor invoices) before walkthrough day
• All appliances included in the sale are present and operational — run the dishwasher, test the range, check the HVAC
• No new damage has occurred since inspection (water intrusion, storm damage, move-out damage)
• Personal property the seller agreed to leave (pool equipment, garage shelving, window treatments) is still present
• Personal property the seller agreed to remove is gone — leaving junk in the garage or basement can complicate possession

If the walkthrough reveals a problem, you have three options: (1) request a closing credit to handle it post-close, (2) delay closing until it's resolved, or (3) proceed as-is if the issue is minor. Do not ignore it. Post-close remedies are much harder to enforce.

What Are the Biggest Closing-Week Risks for Relocation Buyers Specifically?

Beyond wire fraud, watch for these relocation-specific risks:

• Appraisal gap at the last minute: If your lender's appraisal came in below purchase price, confirm in writing how the gap is being covered — buyer cash, seller concession, or contract amendment. This should be resolved before closing week, but verify the resolution is documented.
• Lender condition surprises: Underwriters sometimes issue last-minute conditions (a letter explaining a bank deposit, an updated pay stub, proof of insurance). Check your email daily during closing week and respond to lender requests within 2 hours if possible.
• Title issues: Allegheny County has a 1% transfer tax due from both buyer and seller. Confirm the title company has the correct split documented in the settlement statement before you arrive.

North Hills Resources for Closing Week

Execution Strategy for Active Buyers

• Use this checklist starting 7 days before your scheduled closing date — not the night before.
• Pair with the relocation hub for broader North Hills orientation if you're still finalizing neighborhood choice.
• Review current North Allegheny SD listings to stay calibrated on market conditions during your closing window.
• Read the Document Readiness Guide if you haven't already — document gaps at closing week are avoidable if caught earlier.

Related Next Reads

Follow this with Relocation Closing Operations Runbook for what happens on closing day itself — what to bring, how long it takes, and how remote and POA closings work for buyers who can't be in Pittsburgh in person.