What is clear to close
for a New Jersey home buyer?

Clear to close means the lender has signed off on everything it asked for on the loan. The lender's underwriter, the person who approves the loan, issues it. Then the lender can prepare the closing papers and the title company can confirm when you close. For a buyer under contract in South Jersey, it is usually the last step from the lender before closing day.

Before it arrives, the underwriter may still ask for a few things: a recent bank statement, a pay stub, or a short letter explaining a deposit. Lenders call each request a condition. Clear to close comes once the last one is checked off.

Say a buyer is under contract and the underwriter asks for one more bank statement. It goes in, the clear to close comes back, and the title company sends the time and place for closing.

What to ask, and who answers it: your lender can tell you which conditions are still open and when to expect the sign-off. Your agent can keep the title company and the seller's agent informed, so the closing can be scheduled once the lender signs off.