Your Closing Disclosure is the five-page federal form that tells you exactly what you’ll pay at the settlement table, and by law you must have it in hand at least three business days before closing. This guide walks Rockingham, Augusta, and Shenandoah County buyers through each section of the CD, shows how USDA, VA, and FHA loans change specific line items, and works a real Valley purchase price so you can check your own numbers.
When Your Closing Disclosure Arrives in Rockingham and Augusta Counties
Federal TRID rules under Regulation Z require your broker or lender to put the Closing Disclosure in your hands, physically or electronically with confirmed receipt, at least three business days before you sign at the settlement table. A business day here means any day except Sundays and federal holidays, so a CD delivered on a Friday for a Monday closing does not satisfy the rule. If you’re buying in Harrisonburg or anywhere along the I-81 corridor, this timeline matters because it’s the last checkpoint where you can catch an error before it’s locked into your loan.
The three-day clock exists precisely because closing costs and payment figures need real scrutiny, not a rubber stamp. The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Association of Realtors reported a median sales price around $310,000 for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham market in 2025, according to data published through HRAR’s market statistics page. On a purchase near that median, a fee that shifts by a few hundred dollars between your Loan Estimate and your Closing Disclosure is real money, and you’re entitled to understand every line before you sign.
One misconception trips up a lot of first-time buyers: they assume the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure should match dollar for dollar. They don’t have to, and often won’t. Regulation Z groups fees into three tolerance categories. Some charges, like the broker’s origination fee, cannot increase at all. Others, like title fees and recording charges from a provider you didn’t choose, can increase but the total of that category is capped at 10% above the Loan Estimate. A third group, including prepaid interest and homeowner’s insurance premiums, has no tolerance limit because those costs depend on your actual closing date and your own shopping choices. Knowing which bucket a line item falls into tells you whether a change is normal or worth a phone call.
The Five Sections of the CD Line by Line
Page one of the Closing Disclosure opens with Loan Terms, which locks in your loan amount, interest rate, whether the rate can change, and whether there’s a prepayment penalty. Below that sits Projected Payments, a table showing your principal and interest, mortgage insurance, and estimated escrow for taxes and insurance, combined into the total monthly payment you’ll actually write a check for. Page two breaks into Closing Cost Details, an itemized list of every origination charge, third-party service, and prepaid item, split between what the borrower pays and what the seller covers. The final section, Calculating Cash to Close, reconciles your deposit, loan proceeds, and closing costs into the single number you need to bring to the table.
Loan program changes surface most visibly in Projected Payments and in the Other Costs subsection of Closing Cost Details. A USDA loan shows a 1% upfront guarantee fee, typically financed into the loan, plus a 0.35% annual fee built into your monthly payment as of the current USDA Rural Development guidelines published at rd.usda.gov. An FHA loan instead carries a 1.75% upfront Mortgage Insurance Premium, usually financed, plus a recurring annual MIP charge that shows up in the Projected Payments table, per current HUD guidance at hud.gov. VA loans list a funding fee instead of mortgage insurance, and that line drops to zero for veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability rating, a waiver detailed on the official VA funding fee and closing costs page.
Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC NMLS #376205, walks every client through their CD line by line before they sign, comparing it against the Loan Estimate side by side so nothing gets missed in the fine print.
Worked Example: $275,000 Purchase in Rockingham County
Consider a $275,000 home under contract in Rockingham County, a common price point outside Harrisonburg proper. On the USDA zero-down path, the 1% guarantee fee ($2,750) is financed into the loan, bringing the total loan amount to $277,750, and there’s no out-of-pocket down payment. Assuming a representative note rate, principal and interest on that loan amount runs a bit over $1,800 a month, and the 0.35% annual fee adds roughly $81 a month, financed as part of the payment rather than paid upfront. Add estimated taxes and insurance escrow, and the total on the Projected Payments table lands in the neighborhood of $2,300 to $2,400 a month, before any homeowner’s insurance shopping brings that number down.
Run the same $275,000 price through FHA financing with 3.5% down. That’s a $9,625 down payment, leaving a base loan of $265,375. The 1.75% upfront MIP ($4,644) is typically financed, pushing the loan to roughly $270,019. Principal and interest on that amount comes in lower than the USDA scenario because the loan balance is smaller, but the annual MIP charge, currently assessed at a rate set by HUD based on loan-to-value and term, adds a comparable monthly cost. Once you add escrow, the FHA total lands close to the USDA payment, but the borrower had to bring $9,625 to closing versus zero.
Set side by side on the Closing Disclosure, the two scenarios tell different stories: USDA wins on cash to close, FHA can edge ahead slightly on long-term MIP cancellation potential once equity builds. A NoTouch Credit Pull pre-approval lets you see both scenarios modeled with real numbers before either CD is ever issued, so you’re comparing accurate projections instead of guessing which program fits your Rockingham County purchase.
Broker Review vs. Single-Bank Review: Duane vs. F&M Mortgage
Not every Closing Disclosure gets the same scrutiny before it lands in your inbox. A single-bank loan officer works from one institution’s product shelf and one underwriting engine, which limits how much shopping happens before your CD is drafted. An independent broker with access to a wide wholesale network can compare pricing across multiple lenders before locking terms, which tends to reduce the odds of a fee surprise showing up between your Loan Estimate and your Closing Disclosure.
| Feature | Coast2Coast / Duane Buziak | Tonja Showalter / F&M Mortgage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenders shopped before CD issuance | 500+ wholesale lenders | Single institution | More options before rate lock means fewer post-lock surprises |
| USDA line-item experience | Guarantee fee, annual fee, and eligibility mapped for Valley counties | USDA specialist, single-bank pricing | Both work USDA regularly; pricing depth differs |
| CD accuracy check before signing | Line-by-line client review, LE vs. CD comparison | Standard bank disclosure process | Depth of review varies by institution and staffing |
| Re-disclosure turnaround | Direct broker access to underwriting for fast corrections | Routed through bank processing queue | Faster turnaround reduces closing delays |
Shopping 500+ wholesale lenders before your CD is issued isn’t a marketing line, it’s a mechanical advantage: pricing gets stress-tested against multiple investors instead of one bank’s rate sheet. And if terms shift while you’re still deciding, a NoTouch Credit Pull lets Duane re-run your numbers without triggering another hard inquiry on your credit report, so you can compare updated scenarios right up until the CD is finalized.
Errors That Trigger a New Three-Day Clock
Only three changes to your Closing Disclosure legally reset the three-business-day waiting period before you can close:
- Your APR increases beyond the tolerance allowed under Regulation Z, typically more than an eighth of a percentage point on most fixed-rate loans
- The loan product itself changes, such as switching from a fixed rate to an adjustable rate
- A prepayment penalty is added that wasn’t disclosed on your original CD
Everything else, including a corrected title fee, a fixed typo in your name or property address, or a minor adjustment to prepaid interest based on your actual closing date, counts as a routine correction. Your broker can issue a revised CD without restarting the clock, and you can typically still close on schedule. This surprises a lot of buyers who assume any change means starting over, but the rule exists to protect against material shifts in what you’re agreeing to, not paperwork housekeeping.
Before you sign, compare your CD against your original Loan Estimate on three categories specifically: origination charges, which should not have increased at all; title and settlement fees, which have a 10% aggregate tolerance if you used a provider from your lender’s list; and prepaid items like homeowner’s insurance and property tax escrow, which can move without limit since they reflect real-world costs tied to your closing date. If origination charges moved even slightly, ask why before you sign anything.
Closing Disclosure FAQ for Shenandoah Valley Buyers
Does Harrisonburg qualify for USDA financing, and how does that affect my Closing Disclosure fees in 2026? Most areas outside Harrisonburg’s city limits in Rockingham County remain USDA-eligible; check the current map at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov. Eligible properties show the USDA guarantee fee and annual fee instead of FHA or conventional mortgage insurance on the CD.
How many days before closing in Staunton or Waynesboro will I receive my Closing Disclosure? At least three business days before your scheduled closing date, as required under Regulation Z.
Can my Closing Disclosure numbers change after I receive it in Winchester? Minor corrections can happen without restarting your closing timeline, but material changes like an APR increase beyond tolerance require a new CD and a new three-day wait.
What’s the difference between the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure for a Front Royal home purchase? The Loan Estimate is issued early and reflects projected costs; the Closing Disclosure reflects finalized numbers once underwriting and title work are complete, and some categories are allowed to shift within tolerance.
Why is my VA funding fee showing as waived on my Closing Disclosure in Augusta County? Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability rating are exempt from the VA funding fee under current VA guidelines.
What should I check first on my Closing Disclosure before a Luray closing? Compare your loan amount, interest rate, and monthly payment against your Loan Estimate first, then move to the origination charges line.
Does a rate lock extension in Woodstock require a new Closing Disclosure? Only if the extension changes your interest rate or APR beyond allowed tolerance; a same-rate extension typically does not require re-disclosure.
Who do I ask if my Closing Disclosure numbers don’t match what I was quoted in Rockingham County? Contact your broker or loan officer directly and request a line-by-line comparison against your original Loan Estimate before signing.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is educational and does not constitute a commitment to lend. Interest rates, loan program terms, USDA income limits, and conforming loan limits change without notice and should be verified directly with USDA Rural Development, HUD, the VA, or FHFA before you rely on any figure cited here. All loan scenarios are illustrative and subject to underwriting approval, credit qualification, and property eligibility. Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, operates as a mortgage broker, not a direct lender, through Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC, NMLS #376205, licensed in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and the District of Columbia.
Your Local Resource in the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley
Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, is broker at Coast2Coast Mortgage LLC, NMLS #376205, doing business under the brand Mortgage Maestro. He works with buyers and homeowners throughout the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge corridor, from Winchester and Front Royal down through Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro, with broker access to more than 500 wholesale lenders to shop rates and terms before your Loan Estimate ever gets drafted. Reach him at 804-212-8663.
If you’ve already got a Loan Estimate in hand, or a draft Closing Disclosure you want a second set of eyes on before you sign, bring it to Duane Buziak for a free line-by-line review. Contact our local mortgage experts today to explore personalized loan solutions tailored to your unique financial situation, whether you’re a first-time buyer in Harrisonburg or refinancing a home near the Blue Ridge Parkway. We’ll walk through every number with you and make sure nothing on that CD catches you off guard at the settlement table.
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