Power of attorney
A signed document giving another person the legal authority to sign on your behalf. Useful for closing when you can't be there in person. Lenders often require a specific form.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
If you cannot be at closing, a power of attorney lets somebody sign the deed for you. The title company and the buyer's lender usually want a specific form, approved in advance, not the day before.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
You are deployed overseas. Two weeks before closing you sign a limited power of attorney for your sister, on the title company's form, and it is recorded with the deed.
| What is needed | When |
|---|---|
| The title company's approved form | Well before closing, so the lender can review it |
| Your notarized signature on it | Wherever you are, with a notary |
| The original at closing | It is recorded alongside the deed |
A power of attorney is arranged early or it is not arranged at all.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That any power of attorney will do. A general POA from years ago is often refused; closings usually want a limited one naming this sale.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
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