When Buyer Closing Goes Wrong Real estate transactions can close in as little as a half hour, although most take longer. Some closings take hours, even days, longer than planned. It's a little like getting out a map and estimating cross-state driving time without knowing about a major construction project that has tied up traffic for miles. Like the driver who asks about potential delays, the buyer who spends time researching potential problems in advance is the buyer most likely to reach the destination on time. Just remember that real life interferes with even the best-laid plans. There is no guarantee you will close on time. Some of the delays in closing could be errors in documents, money arriving late or in the wrong amount and discoveries made during the buyer's final walk-through. Common problems Here are some common problems and solutions: Problem: Errors in documents Document problems can be as simple as a name misspelled or a transposed num