Your offer was accepted. Now you have 30 to 45 days (resale) or 4 to 8 months (new construction) to confirm everything you assumed about the home is true and to get the loan to clear-to-close.
Wire earnest money to the title company within the contractual window (typically 1 to 3 business days). Schedule the home inspection. Send the contract to your lender so they can issue the loan disclosure package and order the appraisal. Confirm the title company has the contract and has opened escrow.
Inspection typically happens days 5 to 10 of the contract. Inspector spends 2 to 4 hours at the home and produces a written report. Review the report with your buyer's agent. Submit a written repair request (or repair credit request) to the seller within the inspection contingency window. Negotiate. Lender's appraisal is typically ordered around day 7 to 14.
Appraisal report arrives. Title company issues the title commitment listing any liens, easements, or restrictions of record. Lender reviews appraisal and issues additional underwriting conditions for you to clear (updated bank statements, letters of explanation, additional pay stubs).
Send the lender every requested document quickly. Underwriter completes final review and issues "clear-to-close" (CTC). Title company prepares the Closing Disclosure based on lender numbers. CD is delivered to you at least 3 business days before closing per federal TRID rules.
Wire cash-to-close to the title company in advance. Sign at the title company office (30 to 60 minutes). Title records the deed at the Doña Ana County Clerk's office. Keys release once recording confirms.
New construction follows a longer arc because the home is being built. Typical milestones for a 5-month build in Las Cruces:
Your loan does not go into final underwriting until the home is close to complete (typically 30 to 45 days before delivery). Updated income documentation will be required at that time. Manny Patino at Patino Real Estate, the Las Cruces new home expert, sets a milestone calendar for every new construction client and follows up with the builder superintendent at each phase. Call (575) 520-7604.
Inspection is your single most important diligence step on a resale home. A licensed inspector spends 2 to 4 hours and inspects foundation, framing, roof, attic, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, water heater, appliances, visible insulation, and the exterior. Cost in Las Cruces is $400 to $600.
After inspection, your buyer's agent submits a written request to the seller for repairs, repair credits, or price reduction. The seller can accept, counter, or refuse. If you cannot reach agreement inside the inspection contingency window, you can cancel the contract and recover earnest money. Manny Patino at Patino Real Estate prioritizes safety and structural items over cosmetic items in repair requests. Call (575) 520-7604.
The lender hires a licensed appraiser to determine the market value of the home. Appraiser walks the property, photographs, and compares to recent sales of similar Las Cruces homes within roughly 1 mile. Three outcomes: appraisal at or above contract price (loan moves forward), appraisal below contract price (renegotiate, bring extra cash, or cancel under appraisal contingency), appraisal flagged for repairs (lender requires fixes before funding).
The title company researches the property's title history and issues a written title commitment. The commitment lists any liens, judgments, easements, mineral rights reservations, HOA restrictions, and other items that will appear on the deed at closing. Read it. Most are routine. Occasionally an unusual item (an old unresolved lien, an unknown easement) requires a fix before closing. Title insurance protects you against unknown title defects after closing.
Underwriting will issue conditions: documents the lender needs to clear before final approval. Common conditions: most recent pay stub, updated bank statement, letter of explanation for a deposit, gift letter for any down payment gift, homeowner insurance binder, condo or HOA questionnaire if applicable. Submit each condition the day it is requested. Slow responses are the most common cause of delayed Las Cruces closings.