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The Massachusetts Home Closing Checklist (Buyer Edition) — a Hingham-to-Boston Guide

By Scott Fitzgerald • 01/15/2026

If you’re searching “real estate attorney near me” because your offer just got accepted, you’re in the right headspace. A smooth closing in Massachusetts is mostly about timing, documentation, and making sure the “boring” legal pieces (title, escrow, lender conditions) get handled early. At Fitzgerald Law Offices—including Fitzgerald Law Offices Hingham on the South Shore—this is exactly where a Massachusetts real estate attorney adds value: keeping the deal moving while protecting you from expensive surprises.

 

Step 1: Get the P&S right (because everything else follows it)

 

Once the offer is accepted, the Purchase & Sale agreement is the engine of the transaction. Buyers often search for a “Massachusetts purchase and sale agreement lawyer” or “MA P&S agreement attorney” because the P&S sets the deadlines and rules that determine whether you can safely exit the deal if financing, inspection, appraisal, or title issues go sideways.

 

A strong P&S clarifies:

  • deposits (and where they’re held in South Shore title and escrow)

  • inspection timelines and negotiation windows

  • financing contingency details

  • inclusions/exclusions (appliances, fixtures)

  • closing date, possession, and any escrow holdbacks (think MA escrow holdback agreement attorney situations)

Step 2: Move fast on financing and lender conditions

 

If your purchase involves a mortgage, your closing attorney coordinates closely with the bank’s team. This is where “lender representation real estate attorney MA,” “mortgage closing attorney,” and “Massachusetts real estate settlement attorney” come into play. Lenders issue conditions—proof of funds, updated bank statements, insurance binders, employment verification—and delays happen when documents aren’t delivered quickly.

 

If you’re refinancing instead of buying, the same coordination matters. Many clients find us by searching “Massachusetts refinance closing attorney” or “refinance attorney near me Massachusetts.”

 

Step 3: Title search, title insurance, and clearing issues early

 

This is the part that protects your ownership long after closing day. Your title search attorney Massachusetts reviews the chain of title and flags problems like old mortgages, missing discharges, boundary issues, easements/right of way questions, or unreleased liens.

 

When issues appear, you want a clear title issue lawyer MA or attorney title curative attorney Massachusetts involved early—especially if you’re closing on a deadline. Sometimes the fix is simple (a discharge, correction deed). Sometimes it needs a MA lien release attorney, registry coordination, or additional documentation.

 

And yes—title insurance matters. If you’re comparing options, you’ll see terms like:

  • Massachusetts title insurance attorney

  • Massachusetts lender title policy attorney

  • MA owner’s title policy attorney

  • Massachusetts title and escrow attorney

Step 4: Know the “Massachusetts extras” that can hold up closing

 

Massachusetts closings often include items that surprise first-time buyers:

  • Smoke and carbon monoxide certificate closing MA (common last-minute scramble)

  • MA Title 5 septic inspection real estate Massachusetts (when applicable)

  • Recording fees Massachusetts closing (yes, it adds up)

  • Registry logistics (especially if you’re in Norfolk County real estate attorney territory, or buying in Plymouth County, Suffolk County, or Barnstable County)

Step 5: Final numbers, funds, and a safe escrow process

 

Before closing, you’ll receive your Closing Disclosure. Your attorney helps you confirm the numbers, credits, and “who pays closing costs” norms—many clients literally ask, “who pays closing costs in Massachusetts?” The answer depends on negotiation, market trends, and custom.

 

Also: wire safety. Any attorney providing MA escrow services will tell you not to trust emailed wiring instructions without verification.

 

If you’re buying on the South Shore (or Greater Boston)

 

We routinely handle closings for buyers working with a Hingham real estate lawyer, a South Shore real estate attorney, or a Greater Boston real estate attorney team—and for buyers who simply want a reliable Massachusetts closing attorney.

 

If you’re looking for a local office, you may find us by searches like:

  • Fitzgerald Real Estate Law

  • Fitzgerald Law Hingham MA

  • Scott Fitzgerald real estate attorney

  • Hingham real estate closing attorney

  • buyer closing attorney Hingham

  • Boston real estate closing attorney

Quick checklist (Buyer Edition):

  • Lock down the P&S with clear contingencies

  • Submit lender docs immediately; track conditions

  • Complete inspection and negotiations early

  • Confirm title search + insurance strategy

  • Plan for MA-specific items (smoke/CO cert, Title 5 if applicable)

  • Review Closing Disclosure; verify credits/fees

  • Deliver funds safely through escrow

  • Close, record, and get keys

(If you’re curious, you can also look at Fitzgerald Law Offices reviews and call the Fitzgerald Law Offices phone number to ask about timelines for your town—Hingham, Norwell, Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury, Hanover, Weymouth, Braintree, Quincy, Milton, and beyond.)

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