A gentle but complete guide to insuring a stress-free closing when buying a home or condominium in Kane County, Illinois (and keeping your realtor and loan officer from pulling their hair out)

The process of selling, buying or financing a home has changed dramatically over the last 10 years - so much so that had you qualified to purchase a home in 2006, you, with the same credentials, would likely not qualify for that same purchase today. Not so much because of generally stricter qualifying standards, but because of the increasingly stricter standards used in processing loans and verifying all the different things needed for final loan approval. Amazingly, these requirements extend to not only the borrower, but the home to be purchased, as well as the seller. Only the most astute real estate professionals - loan officers, realtors and real estate attorneys can successfully guide sellers and buyers through this mine field. And keep in mind, as a seller - these are issues that need to be dealt with, as a successful closing on the sale depends as much on the skills of the buyer's team, as much as the skills of the seller's team.