Real Estate Closing Checklist for Sellers

Reconfirm the date set in the ratified contract with the title company or closing attorney (in attorney states like NY, NJ, GA, SC). Note whether closing is in-person at the settlement table, by mail-away, or remote online notarization (RON) — RON eligibility varies by state and by lender.

Payoff statements are typically valid for 10-30 days and include a per-diem interest charge. Request a payoff good through the funding date plus a 2-3 day buffer; an expired payoff is a common reason closings get delayed by 24-48 hours.

HOA estoppel turnaround is commonly 10-15 business days and the certificate has a state-specific validity window (FL: 30 days; CA / VA: varies). Late delivery can give the buyer a rescission right under some state HOA acts — do not let this slip past the contractual deadline.

Walk through the seller's property disclosure with the seller line by line — items left blank that the seller actually knew about (foundation cracks, prior flooding, roof leaks) are the leading cause of post-closing seller lawsuits. Pre-1978 homes require the EPA lead-based paint disclosure plus the EPA pamphlet acknowledgment.

The closing agent uses these to pro-rate taxes through the closing date. If your jurisdiction has just issued a new assessment that hasn't been billed yet, flag it now — closings using stale millage rates routinely get short-prorated, leading to seller-paid balancing checks weeks after closing.

Inventory: house keys (label which goes to which door), mailbox key, gate / pool / shed keys, garage openers, smart-lock codes, alarm codes, HVAC filters, paint touch-up cans, and manuals/warranties for HVAC, water heater, and major appliances. Bag and label everything before walk-through.

The ALTA Settlement Statement replaced the HUD-1 for most residential transactions in 2015. Verify contract price, agreed credits, commission split (post-NAR-settlement: buyer-agent comp negotiated separately, no longer assumed from MLS), pro-rated taxes, HOA dues, and any seller concessions. Catch errors here, not at the table.

Cross-check the title commitment's Schedule B against the settlement statement: first mortgage, any HELOC (even at $0 balance — must be closed and released), tax liens, mechanic's liens, judgment liens. A frozen HELOC line that wasn't closed is the classic last-minute funding delay.

Call the title company at a number you independently looked up — never the number in the email — and read back the routing and account numbers. Wire fraud via spoofed escrow email is the single most common six-figure loss in residential real estate; FBI IC3 logs thousands of cases per year.

Collect paid invoices from licensed contractors for every repair listed in the inspection-response addendum. Buyer's agents increasingly demand permit closeouts for electrical and plumbing work; verbal confirmation from the seller alone won't satisfy a competent buyer's-agent walk-through.

Surface incomplete repairs to the buyer's agent in writing before the walk-through, not at the walk-through. Propose a closing credit or escrow holdback (typically 1.5x the repair quote) so the closing isn't held hostage at the table.

Walk-through is typically scheduled within 24 hours of closing. Confirm utilities are still on (the buyer cannot inspect HVAC or appliances if power is off), all fixtures listed in the contract are still present, and the property is in the contractually required condition.

Document the resolution as a written amendment to the contract — closing credit, post-closing escrow holdback with release conditions, or a price reduction. Verbal handshakes at the closing table do not survive disputes.

'Broom-clean' is the contractual default in most state association forms — floors swept, debris removed, all personal property out unless specifically conveyed in the contract. Items left behind without buyer consent give the buyer a removal-cost claim.

Bring a current state-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport). If you owe at closing — short sale, low-equity sale, or pro-ration shortfalls — the title company will require a cashier's check or pre-closing wire; personal checks are not accepted at most settlement tables.

Typical seller package: warranty deed (or special warranty / grant deed depending on state), bill of sale for any conveyed personal property, FIRPTA non-foreign affidavit, owner's affidavit, 1099-S certification, and the settlement statement. Sign exactly as your name appears on the current deed of record.

Confirm receipt of net proceeds before turning over possession. In dry-funding states (CA, OR, WA, AZ, NV, NM, ID, AK, HI) recording can lag signing by a day; release of keys typically waits for confirmation of recording and wire receipt.

Cancel effective the deed-recording date, not the signing date — these can differ by 24-72 hours in dry-funding states. Request the unearned-premium refund in writing; carriers will not auto-refund. If escrow held the policy, the refund flows back through the lender's escrow refund (typically 30-60 days post-payoff).

The closing agent files the 1099-S with the IRS reporting gross sale proceeds. Keep the settlement statement, 1099-S, and improvement receipts for at least 7 years to support the cost basis and any Section 121 exclusion claim ($250K single / $500K joint).

File USPS Form 3575 (online or in-branch). Update the county tax assessor, voter registration, vehicle registration / DMV, employer payroll, IRS Form 8822, banks, brokerages, subscription services, and any auto-pay vendors still tied to the old address.