Deposit and paperwork
Your deposit goes to the escrow holder named in the agreement, and fully signed copies go to the lender and the closing agent. Get the receipt in writing.
You and your agentClosing checklist · Louisiana
From accepted offer to keys
A Louisiana closing usually takes 30 to 45 days from an accepted offer. In that window you inspect, your lender appraises and underwrites, the closing agent examines title, you bind insurance, and you sign the act of sale before a notary. Miss a date written into the agreement and your deposit can be at risk.
Reviewed by Nicole Gaudet, REALTOR®
Updated September 17, 2026
Week by week
What happens, and who does it
Your agreement sets the actual dates. These are the usual ones.
Inspection period
General inspection, plus anything it recommends: roof, HVAC, electrical, a wood-destroying insect report, sewer or septic. This window is short and it is the one time you can walk on condition.
You · your inspectorRepair negotiation
Ask for repairs, a credit, or a price change, in writing, before the inspection window closes. Silence past the deadline usually means acceptance.
Both agentsAppraisal
Your lender orders it. If it comes in under the price, you renegotiate, bring the difference, or use the appraisal terms in your agreement.
Lender · appraiserTitle examination and curative
The closing agent runs the title chain, checks for liens, judgments, successions and servitudes, and clears what it finds. Louisiana title work turns up estate issues more often than most states.
Closing agent · notaryUnderwriting and conditions
Send documents the day they're asked for. Don't change jobs, open credit, or move large sums without telling your lender.
You · lenderInsurance bound
Homeowner's, plus flood where required, plus wind and hail if it's written separately. The binder has to be at the lender before closing.
You · insurance agentFigures and final walkthrough
Review the closing statement against your loan estimate, and walk the home to confirm agreed repairs and that what stayed is still there.
You and your agentAct of sale
You sign before a notary, funds are disbursed, and the act is filed in the parish records. In Louisiana the transfer has to be by authentic act or act under private signature, and it binds third parties once recorded.
Notary · closing agentSource: La. Civ. Code art. 1839. Your agreement's dates control; this is the ordinary sequence, not a legal requirement.
South Louisiana
Insurance is the part that surprises people
Get quotes during the inspection window, not the week of closing. Around here it can move the monthly payment more than the interest rate does.
- Homeowner's policy. Ask what the hurricane or named-storm deductible is, as a percentage of the insured value, not a flat number.
- Flood. Required by the lender in a high-risk zone. Plenty of homes here flood outside those zones, so price it either way and ask the seller for their elevation certificate if one exists.
- Wind and hail. Sometimes excluded from the main policy and written separately. Confirm which you have.
- Roof age. Older roofs can mean a surcharge, actual-cash-value settlement, or a declination. Ask before you're under contract if you can.
Check any address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and with your parish floodplain office. Ascension tools · East Baton Rouge tools
At the table
What to bring
Government photo IDEveryone signing. Names must match the loan documents.
Wired fundsSent ahead, and only after you call the closing agent on a number you looked up yourself to confirm the instructions. Wire fraud in real estate is common.
Proof of insuranceThe binder and paid receipt if your lender asks for it.
Your questionsYou're allowed to read every page. Nobody at that table is in a hurry you have to match.
The first month
After you get the keys
File for homestead exemptionIt doesn't transfer from the seller. File with your parish assessor; you generally need to own and occupy by December 31 for that tax year. How your parish handles it.
Change the locks and codesIncluding garage remotes, gate codes and any smart locks.
Keep the closing packetAct of sale, closing statement and insurance documents. You'll want them at tax time and when you sell.
Put the maintenance on a calendarHVAC service, gutters before storm season, termite contract renewal.
Questions
Closing questions
How long does closing take in Louisiana?
Usually 30 to 45 days from an accepted offer on a financed purchase, driven by your lender and the title work. Cash closings can be faster, sometimes two weeks.
Who closes the sale, a lawyer or a title company?
Either, as long as the act of sale is signed before a notary. In Louisiana many notaries are attorneys, and title companies here work with one. Louisiana requires the transfer to be by authentic act or act under private signature.
La. Civ. Code art. 1839
Can I lose my deposit?
Yes, if you miss a deadline in the agreement or walk for a reason the agreement doesn't protect. That's why the inspection, financing and appraisal dates matter as much as the price.
Do I need title insurance?
Your lender will require its own policy. An owner's policy is optional and protects you rather than the lender. Given how often Louisiana title work turns up succession and servitude issues, ask the closing agent what it costs before you decline it.
When do I get the keys?
Normally at the table once the act of sale is signed and funds are disbursed. If the seller needs to stay past closing, that has to be written down, with dates and money attached.
What is the final walkthrough for?
Confirming the home is in the condition you agreed to: repairs done, nothing new broken, and the items that were supposed to stay still there.
Next step
Under contract, or about to be?
Send us the dates in your agreement and we'll tell you what's coming and when.
General information about Louisiana practice, not legal advice.