From Accepted Offer to Settlement: The Seller’s Side of the Story

Home Selling Series | Part 7 of 7

An accepted offer is an important milestone, but settlement is the finish line.

You prepared your home, determined the right price, presented it through professional photography and marketing, completed the Seller’s Disclosure, showed the property, and evaluated the offers you received.

Now you have accepted an offer and signed the Agreement of Sale.

Congratulations! You have reached an important milestone.

But there is something I always want my sellers to understand:

An accepted offer is not the finish line. Settlement is.

Between signing the Agreement of Sale and handing over the keys, there are still important steps to complete. Inspections, repairs or credits, the appraisal, mortgage commitment, title work, moving, the final walk-through, and settlement all have to come together.

My goal during this time is to anticipate problems whenever possible, address issues as they arise, and help my sellers reach settlement with as few surprises as possible.

Your Home Is Under Contract — Keep Taking Care of It

Once a home is under contract, it can be tempting for sellers to relax a little. After all, they have a buyer.

But the responsibility for caring for the property doesn’t stop when the Agreement of Sale is signed.

And something sellers may not realize is that their buyers may be driving past the house regularly while waiting for settlement. They are excited. This is going to be their home.

If the lawn that was beautifully maintained when they made their offer is suddenly overgrown, or snow hasn’t been removed, buyers may begin to wonder:

What else isn’t being taken care of?

I saw this happen with one of my listings. The sellers hadn’t mowed the lawn in more than three weeks, and the buyers noticed.

By the time we did the final walk-through, the buyers were already looking for problems. They were checking for leaks under the sinks, wondering whether the toilets were running too long, questioning the water pressure, and looking closely at everything throughout the house.

The lawn wasn’t a major problem. But it had created doubt.

Continue mowing the lawn, maintaining the landscaping, removing snow, and taking care of routine maintenance right up until settlement. You want your buyers to feel as confident about their decision on settlement day as they did when they made their offer.

Know What You Sold With the House

As moving day approaches, sellers are thinking about boxes, movers, furniture, and everything that needs to go to their next home.

This is also the time to remember what doesn’t go with you.

Before packing begins, review the Agreement of Sale and understand exactly what you agreed to include with the property.

I had a transaction where the movers packed the washer and dryer. There was only one problem: the washer and dryer were included in the sale.

I have also had window treatments and a Ring doorbell removed when they were supposed to remain with the property.

These issues were discovered before settlement, and the sellers had to compensate the buyers for the missing items in order for settlement to proceed.

They were unnecessary problems that could have been avoided.

Before the movers arrive, make sure everyone knows what stays. If you aren’t sure whether an appliance, fixture, window treatment, security device, or another item is included, ask your Realtor before removing it.

Plan to Be Out Before Settlement Day

Moving almost always takes longer than we expect.

That is why I encourage my sellers to plan to be completely moved out no later than the day before settlement, unless another arrangement has been agreed upon.

Personal belongings, furniture, unwanted items, and trash need to be removed, and the property should be left broom-swept clean and ready for the buyers.

Waiting until settlement morning creates unnecessary pressure.

This becomes especially important when a seller is also purchasing another home and needs the proceeds from the sale to complete the next purchase.

If the buyers arrive for their final walk-through and the sellers are still moving furniture or clearing belongings from the house, the buyers may not be ready to proceed with settlement.

Now one delayed settlement can affect another.

A little advance planning can prevent a great deal of unnecessary stress on a day that is already very busy.

Don’t Assume the Worst When Something Happens

Even with good planning, unexpected things can happen right up until settlement.

I remember representing sellers when, on the day of settlement, the husband told me the heater wasn’t working.

His wife was very upset. She felt that they were settling that day and the heater shouldn’t be their problem anymore.

Rather than assume we had a major heating problem, I immediately called a repairman to come to the property and find out what was wrong.

The problem?

The thermostat needed a new battery.

Something that initially sounded like it could become a major problem was actually a very minor fix.

That experience is a good reminder that when something unexpected happens, don’t immediately assume the worst. Find out what is wrong, determine what needs to be done, and address it.

A small issue doesn’t have to become a big obstacle to settlement.

What If You Need to Leave Before Settlement?

Not every seller can—or wants to—remain in the area until settlement day.

You may be relocating for a job, retiring to another state, moving closer to family, or simply need to be at your new home before your current home settles.

With advance planning, arrangements can often be made so you don’t have to return just to attend settlement.

I have worked with sellers who signed their deed package before they left the area or arranged to have the necessary documents signed and notarized after arriving at their new location.

When sellers are purchasing another home, I also work with the appropriate settlement professionals to coordinate how the proceeds from their sale will be delivered for their next purchase.

The important thing is to discuss your plans early so the title company and everyone involved have time to make the necessary arrangements.

I have also had sellers relocate before settlement and have overseen the care and upkeep of their property after they left.

Every seller’s circumstances are different. Part of my job is helping find a solution that works for their particular situation.

The Final Walk-Through

The final walk-through should be an opportunity for the buyers to confirm that the property is in the expected condition—not a time to discover preventable surprises.

By then, agreed-upon repairs should be completed, items included in the sale should still be there, personal belongings and trash should be removed, and the home should be ready for its new owners.

This is one reason the little details between accepting an offer and settlement matter so much.

Passing Your Home on to Its New Owners

During showings and negotiations, I don’t encourage sellers and buyers to meet. Emotions can affect decisions, and negotiations should remain focused on the terms of the Agreement of Sale.

But later in the transaction, things can be different.

Once inspections and repairs are resolved, title work is completed, and the buyer’s mortgage commitment is in place, I sometimes create an opportunity for the buyers and sellers to meet.

It may happen at the final walk-through or, when appropriate, shortly before the sellers leave the area.

Many sellers are curious about the people who purchased their home.

And buyers often have questions that only someone who has lived in the house can answer. How does something work? Who services the heating system? Who takes care of the lawn? Is there something helpful to know about maintaining a particular feature of the home?

I think these conversations can be good for both sides.

After all, the buyers and sellers already have something very special in common: they both loved the same home.

If the sellers need to leave before everything in the transaction is completed, I don’t arrange that meeting. Instead, I may suggest that they leave a note for the buyers.

They can explain how things work, provide the names of service people who know the property, or share other information that might help the buyers as they settle in.

It helps the buyer, but I think it can help the seller, too.

It is one more way of saying goodbye and passing the care of the home on to someone else.

More Than a Settlement

After 40 years in real estate, I know that selling a home isn’t always just a financial decision.

Sometimes it is very emotional.

A seller may be leaving the home where they raised their children, celebrated holidays, welcomed grandchildren, or spent decades creating memories.

They may be excited about where they are going and still be sad about what they are leaving behind.

I understand that.

Sometimes when my sellers cry, I cry right along with them.

My job is to make the process of selling their home as easy and as worry-free as I can. I try to anticipate the details, prevent unnecessary surprises, and address the unexpected when it happens.

Most importantly, my goal is to help my sellers reach the settlement table so they can move forward with whatever comes next.

When we began this Home Selling Series, we talked about preparing your home so buyers could walk through the door and imagine themselves living there.

Now we have reached the other end of that journey.

The buyers are ready to begin making their memories, and the sellers are ready to take theirs with them.

One family is closing a chapter. Another is just beginning one.

And helping make that transition a little easier is one of the reasons I still love what I do.