Contract to Closing Checklist for Sellers

Use Cloud CMA or RPR with comps sold in the last 90 days within a half-mile radius. In rapidly cooling markets, six-month-old comps will overprice the listing — pair the CMA with current days-on-market and active inventory data before recommending a list price.

Book the photographer for after staging is complete, not before. Confirm photo count fits your MLS cap (typically 25-50). If a drone shoot is planned, verify the photographer holds an active Part 107 certificate.

Pull year-built from the tax record, not the seller's recollection. Pre-1978 properties trigger the federal lead-based paint disclosure plus the EPA pamphlet and a 10-day inspection opportunity for the buyer (waivable).

Input all required MLS fields including square footage source, room dimensions, and HOA data. Confirm syndication preferences with the seller before going active — quiet listings need Zillow / Realtor.com opt-out flags set at input, not after the fact. Avoid fair-housing-flagged language ("perfect for families", "walking distance") in the description.

Run broker preview Thursday or Friday and public open house Saturday or Sunday. Use Spacio or Curb Hero for sign-in capture so leads land in the CRM with attribution. Send the seller a showing-feedback summary within 24 hours of the public open.

Present offers side-by-side with net-to-seller, financing type, contingency stack, and closing date. Post-NAR-settlement, confirm buyer-agent compensation in writing as part of the offer — it's no longer in the MLS. Watch for escalation clauses with cap pricing and verify proof-of-funds or pre-approval from a recognizable lender.

Confirm all addenda, agency disclosures, and signatures are present before declaring the contract ratified. Effective date drives every contingency calendar — set it correctly in Dotloop or SkySlope so inspection and appraisal deadlines auto-calculate.

Most state license laws require EMD deposit to the broker trust account within three business days of receipt. Late deposit is a license-law violation and the most common audit citation. Never route EMD through the operating account, even briefly — commingling is a separate violation.

Walk through the disclosure form with the seller line by line — don't email and trust them to complete it. Items left blank that the seller actually knew about (foundation, prior flooding, roof leaks) are the source of most post-closing buyer lawsuits.

Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule applies to pre-1978 housing. Provide the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," obtain seller signatures, and document the buyer's 10-day inspection opportunity (or signed waiver). Missing this triggers EPA fines and buyer rescission rights.

Schedule access through ShowingTime and confirm seller will be off-site during the inspection. Inspection objection deadline is contract-defined — typically 7-10 days from effective date. Calendar the deadline with a two-day buffer reminder; submitting objections late waives the buyer's right to negotiate repairs.

Negotiate response: repairs by seller, credit at closing, as-is acceptance, or termination. Get any agreement on an executed inspection resolution addendum, not in email — verbal or email-only resolution will not survive a closing dispute.

Lender orders the appraisal; you track the result. If the value comes in below contract, the financing contingency creates renegotiation leverage for the buyer. Have comp data ready in case you need to challenge a low appraisal with the lender.

Options when appraisal lands below contract: buyer brings cash to cover the gap (per any pre-agreed appraisal gap clause), seller reduces price to appraised value, parties split the difference, or buyer terminates per the appraisal contingency. Document the resolution in an executed addendum before the appraisal contingency expires.

Verify pro-rations for taxes, HOA dues, and utilities; confirm payoff figures match the mortgage statement; check commission line matches the listing agreement and any co-broke addendum. Flag discrepancies to the title company at least 48 hours before signing.

Schedule walk-through within 24 hours of closing. Confirm agreed-upon repairs are completed with receipts, the property is in the contracted condition, and all included fixtures and appliances remain. Last-minute disputes here are common when sellers remove items the buyer assumed conveyed.

Call a known title-company phone number — never the number in the email — and confirm wire instructions verbally before any party sends funds. Wire fraud through spoofed escrow emails is the largest preventable loss in residential real estate; FBI IC3 reports six-figure losses every week. Train the seller explicitly: no wire change is legitimate without verbal confirmation.

Confirm all parties have valid government-issued ID, the deed and bill of sale are prepared, and the seller has wire instructions for net proceeds. In attorney-states (NJ, NY, parts of PA), confirm the closing attorney has the file ready for signing.

Closing isn't complete until funds disburse and the deed records with the county. In dry-funding states, recording can lag signing by a day. Notify the seller when funds are wired and confirm receipt; possession transfers per contract terms (typically at funding or recording).

Most MLSs require status change to closed within 24-72 hours of recording, with sold price and concessions reported accurately. Late or inaccurate filing is a routine MLS fine and corrupts the comp data your peers will use next month.