Step 29: Get the keys

Keys to your new home can’t be handed over until it’s recorded with the County Recorder’s Office. This will occur once the escrow company has all of the signed documents from the Buyer & Seller and funds from the Buyer and lender have both been received. The recordation itself is now submitted electronically from the escrow company’s office so it’s much faster than it used to be. Only after recordation can we deliver the keys to Buyers and the escrow company calls us as soon as the recordation has occurred. Usually we will get the keys from the keysafe so that also doesn’t take much time once the recordation is processed.

Arizona Residential Resale Purchase Contract - Close of Escrow
Arizona Residential Resale Purchase Contract Lines 21-31

Until the recordation occurs the home is not officially yours and you can’t move anything into it, even into the garage. We understand you’re probably anxious to get the move underway and with the home vacant it seems like no a big deal to just store things temporarily but it’s simply not allowed. Even if you just want to go in and start cleaning the home it needs to wait. All sorts of unlikely events have occurred in other transactions that have caused legal issues that make waiting until it records the only way to go.

Arizona Residential Resale Purchase Contract - Possession
Arizona Residential Resale Purchase Contract Lines 32-35

Next: Wrapping things up