Real Estate Investing: Due Diligence and Closings

General Information

Approved Credit Hours: 3 hours

State: Ohio

Course Availability: 365 days from enrollment

Course Description

Identifying opportunity and structuring an agreement are only part of the investment process. Once a contract is in place, investors must verify assumptions, investigate risk, confirm legal and financial details, and successfully move the transaction to closing. Careful due diligence and disciplined execution are what protect profitability and prevent costly mistakes.

Real estate professionals may represent investor clients during escrow or assist sellers in navigating investor transactions. In either role, understanding the due diligence process, title considerations, and closing procedures is essential to safeguarding client interests and ensuring a smooth transfer of ownership.

This course focuses on what happens after an agreement is accepted. You will examine the formal due diligence period, review property and financial documentation, analyze inspection findings, and explore how investors negotiate credits and adjustments during escrow. The course also addresses how ownership is held and how different legal structures can affect liability, taxation, and long-term planning.

Finally, you will review the steps required to close a transaction, including insurance considerations, final settlement statements, deed recording, and the transfer of possession.

As you move through the material, focus on risk management, verification, and precision. The goal is not simply to close a transaction, but to ensure that every assumption has been examined, every document reviewed, and every step completed with professionalism and care.

Course Topics

This course covers the following topics:

• Unit 1: Opening Escrow: Understand the escrow process, review the preliminary title report, and identify key timelines that influence the closing date.

• Unit 2: Conducting Formal Due Diligence: Examine property records, financial documents, inspections, and negotiation strategies used during the investigation period.

• Unit 3: Holding Title: Compare ownership structures, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, LLCs, and corporations.

• Unit 4: Closing the Transaction: Analyze the closing process, insurance requirements, final settlement statements, deed recording, and transfer of ownership.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Describe the steps for opening escrow, including how earnest money is handled by the escrow holder.

• Explain the role of the escrow officer and why escrow instructions must match the purchase agreement.

• Identify what a preliminary title report covers and how unacceptable items can affect the transaction.

• Outline how contingency deadlines and common delays can impact the estimated closing date, including when extensions may be needed.

• Explain what happens during formal due diligence and why written documentation matters.

• Review key books and records to confirm income, expenses, leases, and tenant information.

• Compare common property inspection types and identify what to look for when choosing inspectors.

• Use inspection findings to negotiate repairs or credits in escrow without relying on risky tactics.

• Identify key factors that influence how investors take title, including privacy, taxes, and liability protection.

• Describe how holding title as a sole proprietorship differs from shared ownership options like joint tenancy and tenancy in common.

• Compare common entity structures - including partnerships, LLCs, and corporations - by weighing control, liability, and tax considerations.

• Recognize common risks tied to co-ownership and entity choices, and explain why investors should consult legal and tax advisors before closing.

• Describe the steps required to complete closing escrow, including funding and final document coordination.

• Review and interpret the closing statement to confirm credits, debits, prorations, and required funds.

• Explain the purpose of property insurance and title insurance and why coverage must be in place before closing.

• Summarize the process of deed recording and property takeover, including the final walk-through and transfer of possession.

Instructor & Customer Support

For questions about the course content, please contact the Instructor.

Course Instructor: Chris Culbertson
Contact Information: instructor@onlineed.com
Instructor Availability: Monday-Friday, business hours, excluding holidays
Instructor Policy Response Time: within 1 business day
 
If you have questions about your account or course navigation, please contact the course provider:

OnlineEd
Phone: 1-(503)-670-9278
Email: mail@onlineed.com
Chat and additional options: https://www.onlineed.com/system/pages/contact.php

Completion & Attendance Requirements

Completion Requirements. Continuing education credit is awarded upon successful completion of all required course components and satisfaction of regulatory active time requirements. You may exit and return to the course at any time. Your progress will be saved.

Assessments

This course includes quizzes at the end of each unit, which must be completed.

There is no final exam.

Course Completion Survey

Students are encouraged to submit a survey upon completion of the course. This short survey helps us improve the course material and student experience. It is required by most regulatory agencies. Your thoughtful feedback is appreciated.

Certificates & Credit Reporting

Upon successful completion of all course requirements, a certificate of completion will be issued.  You are responsible for maintaining a copy of your certificates of completion and renewing your license with the state regulator. 

OnlineEd will automatically report course completion credits to OH DOC REPL within 1 business day on the student's behalf. Students don't need to take any additional steps for OnlineEd to initiate the reporting, except to complete the course and receive a completion certificate.

Technology Requirements

Courses may be accessed from a computer, tablet, or mobile device with a stable internet connection.  We recommend the most recent browser versions.  This includes all modern browsers and operating systems including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera, iPhone / iOS, and Android-based mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets. The course is entirely web-based and does not require any software to be downloaded or installed.  For accurate time tracking and progress recording, access courses in one browser window at a time. 

Course Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

All tuition and fees paid for the course are refundable when: (a) the course of instruction is discontinued by OnlineEd and such discontinuation has prevented a student from completing the course; or (b) the enrollment of the student was procured as a result of any misrepresentation in promotion materials of the school, or representation made by an owner or employee of the school. All refunds will be completed within 30 days after the effective date of enrollment termination. Refunds will not be given to any student after the student has successfully registered in a course or courses, as once registered, student has access to the registered courses. In hardship cases, OnlineEd may issue a refund at its sole discretion. OnlineEd does not issue retroactive partial refunds for courses that are subsequently discounted or put on sale after a student makes a purchase.

Academic Integrity and Identity Verification

Students must complete all coursework independently. OnlineEd prohibits misrepresentation of identity or allowing another individual to complete coursework on your behalf. Failure to comply with academic integrity policies may result in denial of credit.

Student Conduct Policy

Students are expected to show respect, courtesy, and consideration when interacting with school staff and students. Students are expected to conducting themselves in a professional, legal, and cooperative manner that is not disruptive, harassing, intimidating, or dangerous. Deviation from these standards may result in disciplinary action.

Non-Discrimination Policy

OnlineEd does not discriminate for admission on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, age or disability. Any person who feels they have been unlawfully discriminated against may file a complaint with the School Director, either by email (schooldirector@onlineed.com) or by postal mail (ATTN: School Director, 14355 SW Allen Blvd. Suite 240, Portland, OR 97005). If OnlineEd determines that any employee of OnlineEd has engaged in discriminatory activity, such employee shall be disciplined.

Grievance Policy

If a student has a grievance against OnlineEd, its staff or students, the aggrieved student shall contact the School Director by email or mail, stating the nature of the grievance. The School Director shall evaluate the grievance and respond to the student based upon their findings.

Policies on Cheating and Misrepresentation

Cheating on courses that supply completion certificates, designations, or official credit is not tolerated. OnlineEd is not obligated to continue to furnish credit or continued support for students caught cheating on any part of the coursework or testing.
 
Misrepresentation of personal identity is strictly forbidden for all OnlineEd courses. Falsifying personal information, forgery, and misrepresentation may result in immediate suspension. Additional actions by state and federal agencies may include loss or suspension of a license, failure to grant a license, fees, or criminal prosecution.

Publisher

This course is developed and delivered by OnlineEd, LLC.

OnlineEd, LLC
14255 SW Allen Blvd., Suite 240
Portland, OR 97005
(503) 670-9278
https://www.OnlineEd.com/
mail@OnlineEd.com

Mission Statement

To provide superior distance education that exceeds industry standards and expectations in course content and delivery methods to those who seek to enter a new profession and those engaged in a profession.