Do I have to attend a residential closing?

For a buyer, the answer is almost always yes, especially where the buyer is securing a loan to fund the purchase. For a seller, the answer primarily depends on local custom. Pre-COVID, in Erie County, sellers typically attended the closing and signed the deed at the close table. COVID has changed that, and the seller now typically pre-signs at the seller's attorney's office. The seller's attorney then attends the closing or sends documents to the settlement.