Alabama · Ala. CodeAlabama real estate closing laws: a checklist for transaction coordinators

Alabama's rules for a home sale, in the order a transaction meets them: the licensee gives the commission's brokerage services disclosure before any brokerage service and needs a written brokerage agreement before listing or submitting an offer, and each offer shows the representation clause (Ala. Code §34-27-82); earnest money goes into a separate insured account in Alabama (§34-27-36(a)(8)); a deed or mortgage of a married seller's homestead needs the other spouse's signature and acknowledged assent (§6-10-3); a recorded deed shows the name and address of the person who prepared it (§35-4-110); the deed tax is 50¢ per $500 and the mortgage tax 15¢ per $100, paid before recording (§§40-22-1, 40-22-2); lien statements are filed within six months by original contractors, four months by others and 30 days by day laborers (§35-11-215); the lender submits the mortgage satisfaction within 30 days of payoff (§35-10-92); a selling landlord stays liable for tenant deposits (§35-9A-205); and the buyer reports the purchase to the county tax assessor (§40-7-1).