A real estate closing is the moment legal title actually changes hands — and the documents you sign are binding. At Ament Law Group, an attorney handles your closing from title search to recorded deed, with title insurance issued in-house through Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title, and First American. The attorney who reviews your title is the attorney at your settlement table. Our fee structure is transparent, and because Pennsylvania regulates title rates, the title premium is the same as any title company — you simply get a lawyer instead of a processor.
What Happens at a Real Estate Closing
A closing (also called a settlement) is where the buyer pays, the seller conveys, the lender funds, and legal ownership transfers from one party to another. It looks like a stack of paperwork, but every document does something specific and permanent: the deed transfers title, the settlement statement accounts for every dollar, the mortgage secures the loan, and the recording makes it all official in the public record. If any piece is wrong — a defect in the title, an error in the deed, a lien that was never paid off — the problem becomes yours the moment you sign.
That is why the person running your closing matters. A title company can process the transaction. An attorney can find and fix the legal problems inside it.
Why Close With an Attorney
In Pennsylvania, the buyer generally chooses the settlement agent, and that choice is more consequential than most buyers realize. Here is what an attorney-led closing gives you that a processing-only settlement does not:
- The title is reviewed by a lawyer. When our title search turns up an unreleased mortgage, an estate that was never probated, or a judgment lien against the seller, that is a legal problem — and we resolve it directly rather than flagging it and waiting for someone else.
- Your deed is prepared correctly. The deed is the document that conveys ownership. Errors in the legal description — common in older Westmoreland and Allegheny County properties — can cloud your title for years. We prepare and review it as attorneys, not clerks.
- Someone explains what you are signing. You will sign a dozen or more binding documents. We sit with you and explain what each one does, what the title exceptions mean, and where your money is going.
- One firm, start to finish. Title search, issue resolution, title insurance, deed, settlement, funding, and recording — all handled in-house, all under attorney supervision. No handoffs, no gaps.
Title Insurance, Handled In-House
Because our attorneys are licensed title insurance agents through Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title, and First American, we run your title search, resolve what it uncovers, and issue your policy without outsourcing any of it. Pennsylvania regulates title premiums, so the price is the same everywhere — what differs is who is reviewing your transaction. Learn more about how we do title differently →
The Closing Process
Order & Review Title
We order the title search, and an attorney reads the documents, traces the chain of ownership, and identifies any liens, judgments, or defects that must be cleared before closing.
Clear Issues & Prepare Documents
We resolve title problems, obtain mortgage and lien payoffs, prepare or review the deed, and coordinate with the lender, realtors, and the other side to assemble a clean file.
Settlement
We review the settlement statement, conduct the closing, explain every document you sign, collect and disburse funds, and issue your title insurance policy.
Record & Confirm
We record the deed and mortgage with the Westmoreland or Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds and confirm the transaction is complete and the title is properly vested in your name.
Closings We Handle
- Home purchases — First-time buyers, move-up buyers, and downsizers across Western PA. We can also represent you earlier in the deal — buyer representation →
- Home sales — We prepare the deed, clear title issues, and represent sellers through settlement.
- For sale by owner — FSBO buyers and sellers get a full attorney-led closing, and we can draft the agreement of sale too. FSBO services →
- Refinances — A new lender's title policy is required with each refinance; we handle the title update and closing.
- New construction — Closings on newly built homes, including builder deed review and lot title.
- Commercial & investment — More complex closings involving entities, leases, and financing. Commercial real estate → · Investment properties →
- Estate & family transfers — Conveying property from an estate or between family members, coordinated with our probate and estate planning work.
Serving Murrysville & the Western PA Corridor
From our Murrysville office, we close residential and commercial real estate transactions throughout Westmoreland and Allegheny County — Murrysville, Export, Delmont, Greensburg, Latrobe, Monroeville, Plum, Penn Township, and the surrounding communities — and record with the Westmoreland County and Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds. Buying, selling, or refinancing, you get a local firm that handles the whole closing under one roof.
Buying or selling a home? Estimate your title costs, then call (724) 733-3500 or schedule a consultation to get your closing on the calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an attorney for a real estate closing in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania does not legally require an attorney to close a real estate transaction, but it is strongly advisable — especially for the buyer. A closing is a transfer of legal title, and the documents you sign are binding. An attorney-led closing means a lawyer reviews the title, prepares and reviews the deed and settlement documents, resolves any title problems, and sits with you at the table to explain what you are signing. In Pennsylvania the buyer typically chooses the settlement agent, so you are free to have an attorney handle it.
What does a real estate closing attorney do?
A closing (or settlement) attorney orders and reviews the title search, prepares or reviews the deed, resolves title defects such as unreleased mortgages or unpaid liens, issues title insurance, prepares and reviews the settlement statement, coordinates payoffs and prorations, conducts the closing, collects and disburses funds, and records the deed and mortgage with the county Recorder of Deeds. At Ament Law Group the attorney who reviews your title is the attorney at your closing — there is no handoff to a processor.
Is an attorney closing more expensive than a title company?
No. Pennsylvania regulates title insurance rates, so the title premium is identical no matter who issues the policy. Because we are licensed title agents, we handle both the legal work and the title in-house without adding a separate law-firm markup on top of a third-party title company. You get an attorney's review of your transaction for what many buyers pay a title company alone.
Which title insurance underwriters do you write through?
Our attorneys are licensed title insurance agents through three nationally recognized underwriters: Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title, and First American Title. We conduct the title search, resolve issues, issue the policy, and attend your closing — all in-house.
Can you handle a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) closing?
Yes. FSBO buyers and sellers still need a settlement agent, a title search, title insurance, a properly prepared deed, and someone to record the transaction correctly. We handle the entire closing for for-sale-by-owner transactions and can also prepare the agreement of sale so the deal is documented properly from the start.
Where do you handle real estate closings?
From our Murrysville office we handle residential and commercial closings throughout Westmoreland and Allegheny County — including Murrysville, Export, Delmont, Greensburg, Latrobe, Monroeville, Plum, Penn Township, and the surrounding Western Pennsylvania communities — and record with the Westmoreland County and Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds.