It Sold! Tips for Closing on the Sale of Your Home

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Yay! You’ve made it to closing — the day everyone’s been waiting for. As a seller, there are a few things for  you to keep in mind.

Leave the Home in the Condition the Buyer Expects

It’s essentially the Golden Rule of closing. From a practical standpoint, it means:
  • A little self-restraint goes a long way. Don’t have any “last night in my house” parties…at least not with red wine, LOL! Remember that the buyer likely will do a final walk-through just before closing to make sure there are no damages that were not present before. This includes carpet stains, holes in the walls, etc.
  • The old bait-and-switch is NOT cool. Don’t think that you can swap out the kitchen refrigerator with the beer fridge in the garage and hope the buyer doesn’t notice. I know none of my clients would EVER do anything like this, but I did have a deal where the night before closing, the seller decided to take the refrigerator that had been written into the contract. They ended up having it moved back in when they realized that was a no-no.

Anticipate What Will Help the New Owner

  • A sparkling-clean home is a great way to wrap things up. I provide all of my sellers with a complimentary cleaning service after move-out. No seller wants to clean after moving out, and no buyer wants to have to clean before moving in. This way, the house is spotless for the final walk-through and the new buyers will be super happy.
  • Leave your manuals and warranties for the house. No doubt about it, some people are more organized than others. I remember one house where the seller had a lovely binder and tabs for different items with the receipts, warranties, and manuals for each item. Don’t worry if that’s not you! But when you’re packing and you come across something specific to your house, set it aside for the new owner.
  • Check to make sure you’re not leaving anything behind. One spot I see regularly is the dishwasher — many sellers forget to check if it still has dishes in it. And don’t forget to check the backs of cabinets and drawers.
By the time you are at the closing table, your agent should have already gone over your final figures from the sale. If not, that will be one of the first things you’ll do. As a seller you’ll have minimal things to sign and may end up waiting for the buyer to get through their loan package. If you’re tight on time, let your agent know so they can get you out quickly. Otherwise closings usually take about 1 hour and if you’ve selected to get a check, you’ll get it right then and there!
For more insight into the closing process, see this article from Houselogic. And remember that talking to your trusted agent is the best bet for advice.
This is Part 7 of a 7-part series on selling your home. Previous articles in this series include:

Looking to sell your home? I’d love to help! Contact me at 303-604-2494 today.

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