Carlsbad Buyers, What You Need to Know about Escrow
Here in California we use escrow companies to manage the specifics of the contract between buyer and seller.
Escrow companies are neutral 3rd parties responsible for ensuring the details of the negotiated contract between buyer and seller are met accordingly. They cannot change the specifics of the contract (the "escrow instructions derived from the written offer to purchase) without the express written permission of both buyer and seller.
Some escrow officers are better than others in terms of communication, follow-up and organizational skills. Keep in mind that they handle multiple escrows at a time so they won't necessarily recognize your name - it's best to always provide the escrow number that identifies the file when communicating, whether by email or phone.
It's important to stay in touch with escrow and to make sure they have received all the documents needed. Some have tracking systems that allow you to look on-line for document status (e.g., deposit received, Preliminary title report sent). When you send a check or wire funds you want to make sure they have been received. Normally you will get a receipt or an email but I always recommend verifying.
I have had several situations where buyer documents have been misplaced, which can delay your transaction, so keep copies of everything so you can provide them again if necessary.
Read your written escrow instructions carefully. While much of this is boiler-plate there are details specific to your particular transaction, and I have found errors on multiple occasions (incorrect addresses, misspelled names, stated terms and conditions that are not accurate vis-à-vis the purchase agreement, to name a few).Your agent will have copies of these, too, and will, presumably, double-check information but you should always check on matters which appear to be wrong, or if you have questions at any time.
I strongly recommend any phone conversations or voice mails be documented, and follow-up with an email so there is a paper trail. And if you don't get a response in a timely manner, or when urgency is called for, call and write again. And get your agent involved if he or she is not bird-dogging the transaction with escrow, which they certainly should.
Make sure you return all paperwork that escrow requires in a timely manner, and provided notarized documents when requested. You may need to provide other paperwork, such as trust or Power of Attorney documents, depending on your personal situation.
If you don't get a return call, call again.
If no follow-up email is forthcoming, write and call again.
Escrow can provide an estimate of your closing costs, but ask if one is not forthcoming Make sure you review this carefully as mistakes can get made. You want the closing costs to be accurate when it comes time to submit your final funds a few days before close of escrow. While these initially are estimates (e.g., they cannot calculate any pro-rations until just before the actual close date) you want to be sure there aren't charges that shouldn't be there, or fees missing.
REMEMBER...this is YOUR transaction and you want to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible. Of course you need to depend on others to do their job correctly and in a timely manner, but a wise buyer, along with your agent, will stay in close contact with escrow to make sure things are moving along as they should.
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As of July 1, 2009 the San Diego Recorder will now only allow recordings at 8 AM. Which means the monies for your loan must be wired, received, and verified the previous day. Thus it is even more important that your loan documents be signed by you and received by escrow in a timely manner, so they can be reviewed and forwarded to your lender for their own review (some lenders REQUIRE a 24-hour review period before they will authorize funding). One would assume, then, that if the funds are not received the day before the scheduled Close of Escrow day, there will be a delay in recording AND your ability to get into your new home (unless the seller gives approval once funding has occurred and before the actual recording). 
