Learning Deal Details by Recreating Closed Transactions

Overview

The fastest way to master Deal Details is hands-on practice with real numbers you can verify. By taking a completed Closing Disclosure (CD) from a recent transaction and rebuilding it in Deal Details, you can see exactly how the software calculates escrows, prorations, and total costs. This method lets you compare your inputs against known final figures, giving you immediate feedback on your accuracy.

Before You Start

Requirement	Details
Closing Disclosure	Obtain a CD from a recently closed purchase or refinance transaction
Deal Details Access	Log in to your Deal Details account
Transaction Type	Choose either a purchase money loan or refinance for your practice exercise

Step-by-Step: Recreating a Closed Transaction

1. Select Your Practice Transaction

Choose a closed deal you're familiar with
Gather the final Closing Disclosure document
Note: Purchase transactions offer more variables to practice with, but refinances work equally well

2. Extract Key Inputs from the CD

CD Section	Information to Capture
Loan Terms	Loan amount, interest rate, loan term
Projected Payments	Principal & interest, mortgage insurance, escrow amounts
Costs at Closing	Origination charges, services, prepaid items
Calculating Cash to Close	Sale price, down payment, credits, adjustments

3. Build the Deal in Deal Details

Create a new deal matching the transaction type (purchase or refinance)
Enter the property details and loan parameters
Input all fee information from the CD
Add escrow and proration details

⚠️ Important: Enter values exactly as shown on the CD. Even small differences in dates or amounts can affect your comparison results.

4. Compare Your Results

Deal Details Output	Compare Against
Escrow calculations	CD escrow section
Prorations	CD proration adjustments
Total closing costs	CD total costs
Cash to close	CD final cash figure

What to Expect

Accuracy Benchmarks

Metric	Typical Result
Escrows and prorations	Matching within dollars (often exact)
Total transaction accuracy	Within $50 on typical transactions
Overall alignment	Results mirror CD even on complex deals

This level of precision holds true even on larger transactions. Users have reported matching escrows and prorations exactly on transactions exceeding $1 million, with total figures within $50 of the final CD.

Finishing Up / Next Steps

1. Review Any Discrepancies

Note where your Deal Details output differs from the CD
Check your inputs against the original document
Small variances often trace back to date selections or rounding

2. Apply What You Learned

Use this same input process when creating pre-offer scenarios for clients
Trust that Deal Details accuracy carries forward to prospective deals

Quick Reference

Gather CD → Create matching deal → Enter all inputs → Compare outputs → Refine and repeat

Tips for Success

Start with a familiar transaction—choose a deal you worked on so you understand the context behind the numbers
Use both purchase and refinance examples—each transaction type exercises different parts of the software
Practice before client meetings—the confidence you gain from verified accuracy translates directly to your presentations
Keep your practice CD handy—reference it when training team members using the same method