#NNPA BlackPress

Prepare for purchasing and closing on a home

NNPA NEWSWIRE — You’ve reviewed your spending plan, been preapproved for a mortgage, and made an offer on the home of your dreams. Now, it’s time to close — the final steps before transferring of the property deed to your name after satisfying all the conditions of the purchase contract. Here are some things to consider as you finalize your purchase.

Published

5 years ago

March 11, 2020

Oakland Post

After the closing documents are completed and the funds have been transferred, you’ll receive the keys to your new home. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

Once you’ve found the right property, learn what you can expect ahead of the actual purchase and closing.

You’ve reviewed your spending plan, been preapproved for a mortgage, and made an offer on the home of your dreams. Now, it’s time to close — the final steps before transferring of the property deed to your name after satisfying all the conditions of the purchase contract. Here are some things to consider as you finalize your purchase.

What should happen leading up to the purchase?

Schedule a home inspection and appraisal. This is something your lender might require you to do before providing a mortgage, depending on the state you live in. Some lenders want to make sure the home is worth the purchase price and that there isn’t any structural issue that may cause problems, which is also in your own interests.
Don’t open any new accounts during this crucial time, because it could impact your financing if your credit takes a hit. Opening a new account is a hard inquiry on your credit, causing a dip in your score. It may also lower the average age of your all your accounts. If you need help reading your credit report, take a look at the resources on the Hands on Banking^® website.

Prepare your documents for the closing

Double-check that you have everything your lender asked for, or else the completion of your loan and purchase may be postponed:

About three days before closing, you’ll likely receive closing documents. This package will include copies of everything you’ve turned in to your lender, as well as additional documents and paperwork you should read over.
Review the closing documents to understand all the terms of financing, and the responsibilities of the lender, seller, and buyer. Take note of what you can do if your lender or seller does anything you haven’t agreed to, and don’t sign documents without fully understanding them.
Also prepare your:
- Required documents, which typically include a government-issued photo ID, copy of the contract, home inspection reports, and proof of homeowners insurance.
- Banking paperwork laying out your means of paying back the loan, and your down payment funds.

What are some things to expect at closing?

Multiple parties will be present at the closing, such as:

Your and the seller’s real estate agent. The real estate agents may choose to attend to ensure the closing transaction goes through.
An escrow company. Depending on your location, an escrow officer may need to be present to handle funds that need to be exchanged.
Your attorney and/or the seller’s attorney. In some states, an attorney may need to be present to complete the legal transfer of the title.
Your lender. Your lender may be present to ensure the transaction goes smoothly.

Here are some examples of items you may consider reviewing before you close:

With your lender, confirm if anything has changed since approval, such as your annual percentage rate (APR) — i.e., your interest rate — or any other term.
With the seller, confirm:
- Copies of repair receipts
- Utility company information
- Trash and recycling collection days

When you’re ready, you and the seller will sign off on the purchase documents, and you will sign off on the loan documents. You may be required to wire your funds, or you may need to bring in a cashier’s check for closing costs.

After the closing documents are completed and the funds have been transferred, you’ll receive the keys to your new home.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Major League Baseball Statement on Coronavirus

Don't Miss

What are the added expenses of owning a home?

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”