The Transaction Coordinator's Checklist: From Contract to Close

Every transaction coordinator knows that a missed deadline isn't just an inconvenience — it can cost your client their earnest money, derail a financing contingency, or even kill the deal. Whether you're new to transaction coordination or a seasoned pro looking to tighten your process, this checklist walks through every milestone from contract to close, in the order they typically occur. Use it as a reference, or better yet, automate it with a system that tracks these deadlines for you.

Phase 1: Contract Signed (Day 0)

• Confirm contract is fully executed and distributed to all parties
• Open the transaction file and set up milestone tracking
• Calculate all key deadlines based on contract terms (inspection period, financing contingency, closing date)
• Send a welcome message to buyers/sellers with an overview of what to expect
• Add all parties to the notification list: agents, lender, attorney, title company

Phase 2: Earnest Money & Initial Deadlines (Days 1–3)

• Confirm earnest money deposit was delivered to the correct party
• Verify receipt and send confirmation to all parties
• Send reminders for any upcoming inspection scheduling
• Confirm lender has received the contract and started the loan process

Phase 3: Inspection & Due Diligence (Days 3–10)

• Schedule and confirm the home inspection
• Track the inspection contingency deadline — this is critical
• Ensure any repair requests or amendments are submitted within the contingency window
• Confirm appraisal has been ordered by the lender

Phase 4: Appraisal & Financing (Days 10–25)

• Track appraisal completion and follow up on results
• Monitor the financing contingency deadline
• Confirm the buyer's loan is progressing — request status updates from the lender
• Follow up on any title issues or commitments

Phase 5: Final Walkthrough & Closing Prep (Days 25–30)

• Schedule the final walkthrough (typically 24–48 hours before closing)
• Remind buyers to set up utilities — electricity, water, gas, internet — to be active by closing day
• Confirm closing location, time, and required documents with the title company
• Verify buyer's CD (Closing Disclosure) was received at least 3 days before closing
• Confirm funds to close and wire instructions (warn clients about wire fraud!)

Phase 6: Closing Day

• Confirm all parties have arrived or signed remotely
• Verify all documents are signed and notarized
• Confirm funds have been transferred and the deed has been recorded
• Send a congratulations message to buyers and sellers
• Close out the transaction file and archive all documents

Don't Track This Manually

Tracking 30+ deadlines across multiple transactions is exactly the kind of work that should be automated. ClearClose lets you apply milestone templates that auto-generate every deadline based on the contract date, then sends reminders to clients, agents, and additional contacts automatically. Overdue milestones are flagged so you can focus on what needs attention. It's like having a digital assistant for every file.