DashLoops

Contract-to-close guide

The real estate transaction checklist

52 tasks from contract acceptance through post-close, organized by phase. The same checklist most agents eventually reverse-engineer the hard way.

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Why most agents end up building their own checklist

The brokerage onboarding training covers maybe a third of what actually happens in a transaction. The rest you learn by missing something — an inspection deadline that quietly passed, an appraisal you forgot to confirm was ordered, a Closing Disclosure you didn't compare against the net sheet until close day.

This is the full list, organized by phase. The deadline guidance is typical — your specific contract will override anything here. Use it as a working reference for your next transaction, or skip the printable and let a tracker pre-fill the deadlines from your contract and close dates.

Days 0–7

Phase 1 — Contract acceptance week

The first week sets the tone. Miss something here and it cascades through every contingency window.

  • Confirm fully executed contract delivered to all parties (buyer, seller, both agents, settlement attorney or title company)
  • Open escrow — send contract package to title or settlement attorney
  • Deliver earnest money to escrow; verify receipt in writing
  • Send all required disclosures (lead-based paint, property condition, HOA, mold, radon — varies by state)
  • Confirm seller's disclosures delivered to buyer's agent
  • Schedule home inspection — coordinate dates with seller
  • Confirm buyer's pre-approval letter on file; verify it matches the contract terms
  • Calendar all contingency deadlines: inspection, appraisal, financing, due diligence
  • Update MLS status to Pending (or Under Contract per local rules)
  • Send transaction file to brokerage compliance

Days 5–25

Phase 2 — Due diligence and contingencies

The contingency phase is where deals fall apart. Track every deadline; over-communicate with the other side.

  • Confirm inspection completed; obtain inspection report
  • Submit inspection objection or repair request before the inspection deadline (typical: 10 days)
  • Negotiate inspection response — repairs, credits, price reduction, or as-is
  • Document final inspection resolution in writing (addendum signed by both parties)
  • Confirm appraisal ordered by lender
  • Coordinate appraisal access with seller; ensure home is photo-ready
  • Track appraisal result; if low, negotiate price reduction, buyer brings cash, or contest with comps
  • Confirm title work ordered (typical: within first 7 days)
  • Review title commitment with seller — flag any liens, easements, or clouds on title
  • Resolve title issues — payoffs, releases, judgments, association liens
  • Confirm buyer received HOA documents (CC&Rs, financials, meeting minutes) and any inquiry deadline met
  • Confirm survey ordered if contract requires (lender-required, buyer's option, or both)
  • Track and confirm contingency removal documents signed and delivered on schedule

Days 14–35

Phase 3 — Financing

The lender controls the close date. Hassle them politely until clear-to-close.

  • Confirm loan application complete; lender has all initial documents
  • Track loan processing — weekly check-in with loan officer or processor
  • Confirm appraisal received and reviewed by lender
  • Confirm conditional loan approval (loan commitment letter)
  • Track condition clearance — every condition the underwriter raises
  • Confirm rate-lock status if applicable; extend if close date slips
  • Coordinate buyer's down payment source — wire instructions verified directly with title, not from email
  • Confirm clear-to-close from lender; loan docs ready for title company

Days 25 to day-before-close

Phase 4 — Pre-close prep

The final two weeks are coordination, not negotiation. Get everyone on the same page for close day.

  • Schedule final walkthrough — typically 24–48 hours before close
  • Confirm walkthrough completed and no new issues identified
  • Confirm all seller-responsibility repairs completed with receipts/proof
  • Confirm utility transfer dates with buyer (electric, gas, water, internet)
  • Confirm seller's move-out plan and key handover method
  • Confirm closing date, time, and location with title company; share with seller
  • Review Closing Disclosure when delivered (3 business days before close per RESPA)
  • Compare CD to net sheet line-by-line; flag discrepancies with title before signing day
  • Confirm seller's wire instructions or check delivery method for proceeds
  • Coordinate handoff items: keys, garage remotes, mailbox keys, HOA welcome packet, appliance manuals

Day of close

Phase 5 — Close day

Execute the plan. Stay reachable for the last-minute calls.

  • Send seller to title company at scheduled signing time
  • Confirm signing completed; documents executed
  • Confirm funding received from buyer's lender and buyer's down payment
  • Confirm deed recorded (or queued for next-day recording per state norms)
  • Confirm keys and property access delivered to buyer

Days +1 to +7

Phase 6 — Post-close

Close the loop. The transaction isn't done when the signing is.

  • Update MLS status to Closed
  • Confirm commission disbursement received
  • File completed transaction in brokerage compliance system
  • Send closing gift or thank-you to seller
  • Request review or testimonial after a respectful interval (typical: 7–14 days)
  • Archive client communication and contract documents per state record-retention rules

That's a lot of checkboxes

The DashLoops Transaction Tracker materializes this list automatically when you enter the contract and close dates. Every deadline schedules itself relative to the contract. Past trackers stay accessible — useful for the next transaction that looks like this one.

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No log-in required to start.

What the tool does that a checklist can't

Deadlines pre-set from your dates

Enter contract date and close date. The system fills in every contingency window — inspection in 10 days, appraisal in 14, loan commitment in 21, and so on — adjusted for the actual calendar dates of this transaction.

Real-estate-specific, not generic project management

Tasks know what they are. Financing tasks understand conditional approval vs clear-to-close. Title tasks know about liens and commitment letters. You don't configure a workflow — the workflow ships with the tool.

Mobile, between showings

Built to be checked during an inspection, after a showing, in a parking lot before a closing. Works in a phone browser. No install, no app store, no sync.

Past transactions, preserved

Closed deals stay accessible for reference. When the next similar transaction starts, you have a record of what happened, when, and what you noted along the way.

Frequently asked

What's a real estate transaction checklist?

A real estate transaction checklist is the ordered set of tasks an agent (or transaction coordinator) needs to complete between contract acceptance and the post-close period. Tasks are usually grouped by phase — contract week, contingency period, financing, pre-close, close, post-close — with deadlines tied to either the contract date or the close date.

How many tasks are in a typical transaction?

A full residential transaction touches 50–70 distinct tasks depending on loan type, state requirements, and whether contingencies trigger sub-workflows. Cash transactions are shorter (no financing phase); FHA/VA transactions are longer (more inspection and appraisal requirements). Most agents either build a personal checklist over time or rely on a transaction coordinator's system.

What's the difference between a checklist and a transaction tracker?

A checklist is a static list — usually a printed page or a Google Sheet. A transaction tracker is a checklist that knows what 'today' is: every deadline is pre-set from your contract and close dates, deadlines surface as they approach, and the system maintains history across multiple transactions. Trackers replace the cognitive load of remembering which deadline is next.

When do contingency deadlines start counting?

Most contracts count contingency deadlines from contract acceptance (mutual execution date), not from the contract date or the offer date. Always confirm the specific contract language — some states or contracts use 'effective date' which may be different. A wrong starting point can blow an inspection or financing deadline by days.

What's the most-missed task on a typical transaction?

The Closing Disclosure review three business days before close. The CD is delivered to all parties, but agents often skip the line-by-line comparison against the net sheet. Discrepancies caught the day of close are stressful; discrepancies caught three days out are still negotiable.

Do I really need a tool, or is a spreadsheet fine?

A spreadsheet works if you have only one or two active transactions at a time and you religiously update the file. The friction point is multi-transaction scaling — once you're juggling three or more deals at different stages, the spreadsheet becomes the bottleneck. Tools come with deadlines pre-set from contract and close dates, surface what's due today across all active deals, and keep history for next time.

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