The direct close: defined work, defined fees
Here's the least-known fact in real estate: the title company has always done the closing. Title search, escrow, insurance, recording, the closing table — that's their work in every deal, traditional or direct. In a direct deal you simply hire them yourself, pay their flat fee, and the transaction closes the same way it always has.
Who you hire
Call any established title company in your county — St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaPorte (IN), Berrien or Cass (MI) all have several that serve direct customers every day. Say: "We have a direct sale — buyer and seller have agreed on terms. We'd like you to run escrow and close it." This is a routine request, and they'll walk you through their process from there.
What their flat fee covers:
- Title search and lien clearance — the work that actually protects both sides
- Escrow — earnest money held by a neutral third party, never passed hand to hand
- Title insurance for the buyer and lender
- The closing statement, the signing, recording the deed, wiring the funds
What it costs: flat fees, typically in the hundreds of dollars. Ask for the fee sheet up front — defined services come with a printed price list.
The direct close, in order
- Agree on terms — price, closing date, inspection window, what stays. Write it down together.
- Open escrow at the title company and deposit the earnest money there.
- Inspection inside the agreed window; adjust or proceed.
- The machinery runs — lender's appraisal, title search, payoff figures, closing statement. The title company coordinates; you answer your phone.
- Sign, record, wire, keys. Same closing table as any deal — minus one line item.
The wealth you keep
The line that would have read "commission" on a traditional closing statement:
| Sale price | Traditional 6% | Direct close | You kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $12,000 | title fees only | ~$12,000 |
| $250,000 | $15,000 | title fees only | ~$15,000 |
| $300,000 | $18,000 | title fees only | ~$18,000 |
| $425,000 | $25,500 | title fees only | ~$25,500 |
That's a kitchen, a year of college, or the head start on the next down payment — staying with the people who own the house. This is how the direct market works, and it's why it keeps growing.
Closing practices vary by county and state; Indiana and Michigan closings routinely run through title companies. Complex situations — estates, divorces, land contracts — are worth a flat-fee real-estate attorney: defined work, defined price, real protection.