Buyer's Agent Checklist

State license law in most states requires the agency disclosure at first substantive contact — before discussing buying preferences. Capture the signed form in Dotloop or SkySlope; missing this is a common file-review citation.

Post-NAR-settlement, a written buyer rep agreement is required before showings in most jurisdictions. Confirm the compensation terms, exclusivity, and term length match what was discussed at the consult.

Log price range, target areas, must-haves, and timeline in Follow Up Boss / kvCORE / BoomTown. Avoid steering — discuss school districts and neighborhoods only on buyer-initiated request, with factual sources.

Cash buyers skip the lender path; financed buyers need a pre-approval letter before showings. Pre-qualification is not pre-approval — verify the lender ran credit and reviewed income docs.

Get the loan officer's name, NMLS, direct line, and program (Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo). Pre-approval is conditional on full underwriting — track pre-approval, conditional commitment, and clear-to-close as separate milestones.

Configure the MLS portal with the buyer's criteria and connect ShowingTime / BrokerBay for tour scheduling. Confirm the buyer's preferred contact channel for new-listing alerts.

Use Cloud CMA or RPR; pull sold comps within 90 days and a half-mile radius where possible. Account for market velocity and days-on-market trends — stale comps in a shifting market drive bad offer prices.

Post-NAR-settlement, buyer-agent compensation is no longer published in the MLS. Confirm with the listing brokerage in writing before submitting the offer; if the seller offers less than the buyer rep agreement amount, address the gap with the buyer up front.

Include EMD amount, financing/inspection/appraisal contingency periods, requested closing date, and any seller concessions. Use the state-promulgated form; verify lead-based paint disclosure is attached for pre-1978 properties.

Most states require deposit to broker trust or title within 3 business days of contract acceptance — late deposit is a license violation. Verify wire instructions verbally to a known phone number; never trust emailed PDF instructions.

Add inspection objection, appraisal, financing, title-objection, and HOA-document deadlines to the TC calendar with 48-hour buffer reminders. Missed inspection objections waive the buyer's right to repairs or credits.

Book within the inspection period with enough runway for follow-up specialty inspections (radon, sewer scope, roof, WDO). Confirm access via ShowingTime or the listing agent.

Walk through the report by category (safety, structural, mechanical, cosmetic). Identify items the buyer wants addressed; note that as-is contracts limit repair leverage.

File objections before the inspection deadline expires; document the resolution as a signed amendment specifying repairs, credits, or price reduction. Keep the executed amendment in the transaction file.

Check in with the loan officer that the appraisal is ordered and scheduled. Provide the listing agent's contact for access; share a copy of the recent comps used in the offer for the appraiser's review.

If the appraisal comes in low, options are: buyer brings the gap in cash, seller reduces price, parties split the difference, or buyer terminates per the appraisal contingency. Track the contingency expiration date carefully.

Document the resolution as a signed amendment — price reduction, gap coverage, or termination notice. Get the executed amendment to the lender same-day so underwriting works from the right number.

Read Schedule B exceptions: easements, encumbrances, liens, restrictive covenants. Flag anything that affects the buyer's intended use; submit title objections before the contract deadline.

Stay in weekly contact with the LO. Conditional approval is not clear-to-close — collect outstanding underwriting conditions (gift letters, VOE, asset statements) from the buyer promptly. The financing contingency expires whether or not the loan is funded.

Schedule within 24 hours of closing. Confirm agreed repairs are complete with receipts, all included fixtures remain, and utilities are still on for testing. Document any issues with photos before signing.

Wire fraud is the highest-loss event in the transaction. Buyer calls the escrow officer at a number from the title company's website — never the number in the email — and confirms wire instructions before sending funds.

TRID requires the CD at least 3 business days before consummation. Reconcile against the Loan Estimate; flag any tolerance violations to the LO. Walk the buyer through pro-rations, credits, and cash-to-close.

The lender will not fund without a binder showing dwelling coverage and the lender as mortgagee. In flood zones, confirm flood insurance is bound separately.

In attorney states, the closing attorney leads; in escrow states, the escrow officer does. Possession typically transfers at funding and recording — confirm both occurred before handing over keys.

Upload all signed disclosures, agency forms, amendments, and the executed settlement statement to Dotloop or SkySlope. Incomplete files are the most common audit citation; the BIC needs everything to release commission.

Most MLSs require closed status within 48-72 hours of recording with the correct sold price. Inaccurate comp data triggers MLS fines and skews future CMAs.

Drop off the gift in person if possible; ask for a Google or Zillow review while the experience is fresh. Add the buyer to the long-term sphere nurture campaign in the CRM.

Confirm the buyer received their recorded deed and title insurance policy, that escrow refunds were issued, and that no surprises came up post-move. This is also the natural moment to ask for referrals.