Plenty of out-of-state and international buyers never sit at a closing table in Louisville. They sign from home, from the office, or from another continent, and the money moves by wire. That works beautifully when it's planned and goes sideways fast when it isn't. Here's how we run it.

Earnest money: the first wire

After your offer is accepted, you'll put down earnest money, a good-faith deposit that shows the seller you're serious. In Kentucky, it's usually held by the listing brokerage or the title company, depending on what the contract says. Your contract sets the deadline. Domestic buyers usually wire it or send it electronically within a few days. International buyers should have funds already sitting in a US account or be ready to move them immediately, because an overseas wire can take longer than the deadline allows.

How long wires actually take

• Domestic US wires: usually same day or next business day, as long as you send before your bank's cutoff time.
• International wires: the transfer itself often takes several business days, and the receiving bank may hold incoming international funds for compliance review. Intermediary banks can also take fees out along the way, so the amount that arrives can be a little less than what you sent.

Our rule for international buyers: move your closing funds to the US early, ideally into a US bank account you control, well before the closing date. Converting to US dollars before you send also avoids surprises from exchange rates and fees. Keep every receipt: the SWIFT confirmation (often called an MT103), your bank's debit record, and the conversion receipt. Title companies and lenders may ask for them.

Wire fraud: the rules we make every client follow

Criminals watch real estate deals. They hack or imitate email accounts, then send "updated" wiring instructions that route your money to them. The FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report counted about $3 billion in losses to business email compromise, the category that includes these real estate wire scams.

• Never trust wiring instructions that arrive by email alone, even if the email looks exactly like it came from us or the title company.
• Always call the title company to confirm wiring instructions, using a phone number you got independently, like from their official website or from us in person, not from the email.
• Treat any last-minute change to wiring instructions as fraud until proven otherwise. Real title companies almost never change them.
• Turn on two-factor authentication on your email.
• After you wire, call to confirm the money arrived.
• If something goes wrong, call your bank immediately and ask them to contact the receiving bank, then file a report at ic3.gov. Speed matters.

Signing without being here

Electronic signatures

Most of the contract paperwork, like the offer, addenda and disclosures, is signed electronically. Time zones barely matter for this part.

Remote online notarization

The deed, loan documents and some other closing documents need a notary. Kentucky law allows remote online notarization: a Kentucky-commissioned online notary, located in Kentucky, can notarize for a signer who is somewhere else in the US, and even outside the US when the document relates to property or a transaction in the US and it isn't prohibited where the signer is. The session is done by live audio and video and recorded.

Whether your specific lender and title company will do a fully remote closing is a separate question. Some do, some don't, and some lenders require wet-ink signatures. We confirm it at the start of the deal, not the week before closing.

Mail-away closings

If remote online notarization isn't an option, the title company can send you a closing package to sign in front of a notary where you are. In the US, any notary works. Outside the US, you can sign at a US embassy or consulate, or before a local notary with an apostille, depending on what the title company and lender require. Build in shipping time for the originals.

Power of attorney

Some buyers sign a power of attorney so someone in the US can sign for them. Lenders and title companies have specific rules about these, so ask before you rely on one.

Time zones

Louisville is on US Eastern time. Some quick references:

• Pacific time (California, Washington): three hours behind us.
• Central time (Texas, Chicago, and much of western Kentucky): one hour behind us.
• London: usually five hours ahead.
• Central Europe: usually six hours ahead.
• Dubai: eight or nine hours ahead, depending on the season.
• India: nine and a half or ten and a half hours ahead.
• Tokyo: thirteen or fourteen hours ahead.

We work across those differences all the time. We put key dates in writing, use recorded video walkthroughs so you can watch properties on your own schedule, and plan wire timing around your bank's business day, not just ours. Remember that bank holidays in your country can delay an outgoing wire even when US banks are open.

A sample timeline for an international cash purchase

• Before you shop: open a US bank account if possible, and form your LLC if you're using one.
• Offer accepted: wire earnest money by the contract deadline.
• Inspection period: inspections, contractor bids, insurance quote.
• Three to four weeks before closing: move the rest of your closing funds to the US.
• One week before closing: confirm your signing method, review the settlement statement, confirm wiring instructions by phone.
• Closing: sign remotely or by mail-away, wire funds, then call to confirm receipt.
• After closing: property manager takes over, and rent flows to your US account.

Frequently asked questions

Can I close on a house in Kentucky without being there?

Yes, usually. Kentucky allows remote online notarization, and mail-away closings are common. Your lender and title company decide which methods they'll accept for your deal.

How long does an international wire take for a US real estate closing?

Plan on more than you think. The transfer can take several business days, and receiving banks may hold international funds for compliance review. Move funds early, ideally weeks before closing.

Who holds earnest money in Kentucky?

Usually the listing brokerage or the title company, as set out in the purchase contract.

How do I avoid wire fraud when buying property?

Never act on wiring instructions from an email alone. Call the title company at an independently verified number to confirm, and treat any change in instructions as a red flag.

Plan your closing with us

We'll build your timeline around your time zone and your bank. Start on our out-of-state and international investor intake form or book a call with Rob. And read the out-of-state investor playbook for the whole process.

More guides for out-of-state and international investors

• The out-of-state investor playbook for Louisville
• California investors buying in Kentucky
• Texas investors buying in Kentucky and Indiana
• International investors buying in Kentucky and Indiana
• Foreign ownership rules in Kentucky and Indiana (2026)
• FIRPTA and US taxes for foreign investors
• LLCs and banking for out-of-state and foreign investors
• Loans for out-of-state and foreign national investors
• Building your remote investor team in Louisville
• Funds and institutional buyers acquiring here

Winner Realty is a real estate brokerage licensed in Kentucky and Indiana. We are not attorneys, and this is general information, not legal advice. Sources: KRS 423.355 and 423.455 (online notarization and remotely located signers), FBI 2025 Internet Crime Report and FBI/IC3 guidance on business email compromise, as of September 2026. Your lender and title company set the specific closing requirements for your transaction.