A contract to close checklist keeps the deal you worked so hard for from dying in the last thirty days. The minute it's under contract, three things happen: you log it, you calendar every deadline, and you tell your buyer the rules that protect their loan and their money. Then you work the deadlines one by one until the keys change hands, and you do the after-closing steps most agents skip.
The short answer
Day one: report it, stage it, calendar it, send it to the lender and title. Every week: chase deadlines. Before closing: wire fraud warning, final walk-through. After closing: review, saved search switch, past-client tag, stay in touch.
Step by step
The day it goes under contract 1. Move the CRM stage to Under contract. Your nurture emails should stop. 2. Write the note: property address, side, contract price, projected closing date, date under contract. 3. Report it to your brokerage or team the same day. If it isn't reported, it didn't happen. 4. Send the contract to the lender and title, and confirm earnest money delivery per the contract. See earnest money. 5. Text your client every deadline, then calendar reminders two days before each one.
Tell the buyer, out loud - "Change nothing about your money until you have the keys." No new credit, no car, no furniture on credit, no job changes, no big unexplained deposits, no missed payments. - "Nobody will ever email you new wire instructions." See the wire fraud warning.
The middle of the deal 1. Inspection. Schedule fast. Negotiate with evidence. See inspection objections. 2. Appraisal. Meet the appraiser with comps if appropriate. Plan for a gap. See appraisal gap. 3. Loan conditions. Check in with the lender weekly. Boring is good. 4. Title and HOA documents. Read them, flag anything odd, meet the objection deadlines. 5. Weekly update to your client, even when there's no news.
Closing week 1. Final numbers in writing from the lender a few days before closing. 2. Verify wire instructions by phone at a known number. 3. Final walk-through: agreed repairs done, appliances that convey are there, systems working, no new damage. 4. Attend the closing.
After closing 1. Move the stage to Closed and add the closing date. 2. Ask for the review in person, text the link. See Google reviews. 3. Ask for the referral. See asking for referrals. 4. Switch their saved search to something useful now, like a home value update. 5. Update their address and tag them past client. 6. Set your past-client touch schedule.
Terminated? Report it fast
Say so, and say why in one line. Nobody minds a termination. What causes problems is finding out three weeks later that a deal on the board is dead.
A worked example (illustration only)
| Day | Step |
|---|---|
| 0 | Under contract, logged, sent to lender and title, deadlines texted |
| 2 | Earnest money confirmed |
| 5 | Inspection |
| 8 | Inspection resolution signed |
| 15 | Appraisal at contract price |
| 25 | Clear to close |
| 28 | Wire verified by phone, final walk-through |
| 30 | Closed. Review asked, search switched, past-client tag added |
Illustration only. Your contract's deadlines control.
How to explain it to your client
"We're under contract. Here's every deadline, and I'll remind you two days before each one. Two rules until you have keys: change nothing about your money, and never trust an email with wiring instructions. Call me or the title company at a number you already know before you send a dollar."
Watch-outs
- The contract controls. Read the dates, don't assume them. See your state's contract basics.
- Don't give legal advice on contract terms. Send it to the managing broker or an attorney.
- Don't advise on credit or money moves. That's the lender's lane.
- Keep client details private. Don't post prices or addresses of people under contract.
This is training for real estate agents. It isn't legal or lending advice. Your contract and your brokerage policy control.
Questions
Who tracks contract deadlines?
You do, even if you have a transaction coordinator. Two sets of eyes.
What if the buyer's loan has a problem?
Talk to the lender that day. Know your contract's financing deadline.
Should I attend closing?
Yes. It's the best day to ask for the review and the referral.
When should I ask for the review?
At closing, in person, with the link texted right then.
What do I do with past clients after?
Stay in touch on a schedule. See long-term nurture.
Brian Lee Burke is the founder of PadLeaders, a Colorado real estate broker licensed since 2003, team leader of The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC (formerly Kenna Real Estate Group) and the author of Mastering Real Estate and The Real Estate Playbook. More about Brian.