How To Close a Property with an Out-of-Town Buyer or Seller
While it’s preferred to have all parties physically present to sign settlement and closing paperwork, SMART Settlements understands that this is not always possible. We are adept at working with clients who are out of town or out of the country on the signing date, and we are more than happy to accommodate those closings remotely with preparation ahead of time.
If the out-of-town signee is located in a country that is a member of the Hague Convention (including here in the United States of America), we mail or email the settlements documents to the signee. He or she then gets a local notary’s stamp to complete the paperwork.
If the current country is not a member of the Hague Convention, then the signee must take the closing documents to a notary in a United States of America Embassy. We recommend reaching out to the Embassy as early as possible because he or she may have to wait for weeks for an appointment.
A list of all members of the Hague Convention are listed below, in alphabetical order*:
*DISCLAIMER: This information is deemed accurate at the time of publication. Please refer to the website of the U.S. Department of State the most updated information.
For additional information on this topic contact Evelyn Miller, Partner, at 202-753-7400.
