MLS-Girl · 2026 Edition
Buyer Flow Chart
A step-by-step guide for transaction coordinators and agents — from executed contract to closing day.
Disclaimer
Everything I teach comes from what has consistently worked for me over the last 20+ years managing contract to close, earning strong reviews and referrals, and keeping the same agent clients for many years. The steps and systems I share allowed me to build my transaction coordinating business with little to no marketing, my work was my marketing.
Because the Texas real estate market and legal regulations change quickly, and because some information comes from outside sources, MLS-Girl does not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of any information in this presentation or in any study tools provided. Always verify all information, never assume, and if you have further questions, always consult with your agent and their sponsoring broker.
Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
The agent emails you the contract to manage.
Say thank you! Create a digital file on your desktop, name it using the street name and number, i.e. Main Street, 123. Download all addenda to the file. Add the CTC Summary Sheet for the buying side of the transaction.
Review the contract right away. Your agent may need help coordinating the delivery of the earnest money, the option fee and making sure the contract is sent to the title company and the lender.
Now is the time to enter all important dates to your calendar. Highlight critical deadlines in yellow and highlight or circle the closing date in green. Use your calendar daily, checking it in the morning, mid-day, and before you leave. If you use the screensaver I created, make sure to check it often throughout the day.
Send your intro emails and the contract. Introduce yourself to title and lender in one email, then to the buyers, then to the seller's agent. If the contract includes the SDN or any repair documents, separate the PDF, as lenders do not want to see those. If a repair was written into the contract, get the paid repair receipt(s) from the seller's agent and send them to lender and title ASAP. If a non-realty items addendum is included, lenders do not like it, but it must still be attached.
Call the lender. Start the relationship right away. If they are not communicating, let the agent know, and you may need the TILA-RESPA form signed so the lender can share information with you. If the lender uses a portal, ask the agent to request access for you so you can see which documents are provided and which are still outstanding.
All of this happens on Day 1 and Day 2, Week 1 of the contract.
1Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
Before calling the buyer, look up the MLS for the home that is being purchased. Take a look at the photos, read the remarks, the location and features. This helps you connect to the transaction and gives you confidence when speaking with the buyers, and clients love feeling that you're already familiar with their home. Have a PDF copy of the MLS saved to your file.
Call the buyer on day one or two and confirm they received your email. If married, ask if both will attend closing and be ready to explain that both spouses must sign in Texas because it is a community property state. Offer a remote closing or a POA only if needed. Remind them an early closing time may help with earlier funding. After they choose a time, email the title company for options and CC your agent. Once the title company replies, let your agent choose the time.
Have inspections been scheduled. Your agent may need help coordinating them, and they will let you know if they do. Keep the list of the agent's recommended inspectors handy and send it to the buyer in case the agent hasn't already done so.
Continue to complete the contract-to-close (CTC) sheet as much as you can. There will be items you don't have yet because you just received the contract. Make sure to go back and update the CTC sheet and check things off as the transaction progresses. Keep your CTC sheet updated at all times.
All of this happens on Day 1 or Day 2, Week 1 of the contract.
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Now prepare the critical dates letter by copying your template into the body of the email. Back out any dates or sections that do not apply, such as HOA or third-party financing. Add anything that is needed. Run spell check, grammar check, and read the letter aloud before sending. CC your agent. Do not rush to prepare these letters, and if you are short on time, then these letters can go out the next day, but be sure to send them before 12 noon.
Make sure everyone has received your email. Adding "Please confirm" at the end helps signal that you need a reply. Communication buckets matter. About 90% of communication should be by email for documentation, about 5% by text for urgent items, and about 5% by phone. Texting is great for quick responses, such as alerting a seller that an amendment was sent. Phone calls still matter because people share more on the phone, and it helps clients reach out to you instead of their agent for simple questions.
The receipted page is sent automatically from the title company. The receipted page confirms the title company received the contract, the earnest money, and the option fee. Make sure the amounts match the contract. If any additional earnest money or option fees are paid, request the updated receipted page.
Upload all documents into the agent's back-office system, i.e. SkySlope, Dotloop, Back Agent, Command, or whatever platform the office uses. Upload every document related to the file, even if it is not needed for compliance, but submit only the documents required for compliance. Be proactive so the agent's commissions are released at closing and funding.
All of this happens week 1 of the contract.
3Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
Once inspections are done, your agent may need help drafting an amendment requesting repairs. Agents handle all negotiations. If anything is being negotiated within the option period, you must have an executed amendment before the option period ends at 5pm Texas time. Once you have it, send a copy to all parties. Do not send repair amendments to title or the lender. Follow up with the seller's agent for paid repair receipts and send them to the buyer's agent and your agent as soon as possible.
Has the buyer checked in on homeowners insurance? They need to within the option period and let everyone know who they choose.
Once the option period ends or you know the buyer is moving forward with the purchase, make sure the lender has ordered the appraisal and ask when you can expect the report to be in. I think it is a nice touch to update the sellers agent.
Have you returned the buyer information sheet to the closer. You should have been CC'd when the title company sent it to the buyer. If the buyer doesn't know some answers yet, they can write TBD so they can still return the form within three days of receiving it.
Is the seller providing an existing survey with a T-47 or T-47.1, or is a new survey required, and if so, at whose expense. If it is the buyer, make sure to follow up on the order of the survey.
Are there any objections written in the objections paragraph. If so, what are they, and how many days does the buyer have to review and make objections known in writing to all parties. Remember, some deadlines begin when a document is received.
Are there any other notices, disclosures or anything else per the contract still outstanding to be provided to the buyer?
Week 1 of the contract.
4Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
If financing is involved, has the appraisal come in. Do not share the appraised amount or report with the listing agent. If there are any issues with the appraisal, let your agent reach out to the seller's agent. Always ask the lender by email: has the appraisal made it in, is it in at value, and with no lender-required repairs. Use your script I provide.
Process the file for the agent's CDA and make sure the agent's file meets office compliance. If anything is outstanding, work on getting those documents submitted to the office as soon as possible so the file can meet compliance.
Have you requested the paid, legible repair receipts from the listing agent. Have you sent them to both the buyer and your agent for review. Verify the receipts are paid, and make sure they match the amendment of requested repairs.
Many contracts are negotiated with the seller paying for the buyer's home warranty, but not all. If the seller is paying, once the buyer chooses a plan, email the closer and the home warranty rep together to confirm the plan selected. The home warranty rep will send confirmation for your files. If the seller is not paying but the buyer still wants a home warranty, you will need to help facilitate the order.
Have you asked the sellers agent to make sure at least one key is brought to closing. This is very important, even if there is a temporary lease in place. Also ask that all other keys, remotes, and anything else be left on the kitchen counter for easy access.
Week 3 or 4 of the contract.
5Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
Send the Utility Reminder to the buyers. They need to make their calls at least 10 business days to have utilities in their name for the day they are to take possession. Internet can take the longest. If your agent uses a utility concierge service, make sure to provide this information to the buyer.
Have you emailed the lender to check on buyer approval. By now, the buyer may be close to their approval deadline. Ask the buyer to email the lender a few days before buyer approval is due. The script is in the MLS-Girl book of scripts.
By now, the title commitment should have been sent to the buyers for review. Are there any objections to the title commitment. If applicable, does the buyer have any objections to the HOA documents. The time frame for review begins on the day the buyer received the documents.
Are there any other contingencies or critical dates still outstanding per the contract, such as HOA. If so, identify them and follow up until each deadline has been met.
Has the walk-through been scheduled. The walk-through is usually done one to two days before closing, or on the day of closing. If the sellers have a temporary lease, there may be two walk-throughs, one before closing and one after move-out. You may help coordinate this, and then the agent will reach out to the showing service to schedule it.
After the walk-through ends and if all went well, some agents may ask you to send the Buyer Walk-Through and Acceptance form to the buyer for signature. Some offices require this form for compliance and some do not. Do not share it with the seller's agent.
We are now getting closer to the day of closing.
6Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
Has the lender sent the Closing Disclosure to the buyer, and has the buyer signed it three business days before closing. Review the buyer's CD to make sure it matches the contract terms. Ask the lender if the buyers have Clear to Close, and if not, what the conditions are. Use the written script I provide.
Have you heard if the buyer has Clear to Close? which usually comes much closer to closing.
Is there a seller's temporary residential lease. If so, is rent due and is a security deposit due. You will need to know how those payments are handled. Ask both the title company and the lender by email how the payments should be handled. The same applies if there is a buyer's temporary residential lease.
Submit the agent's file to the office for the agent's CDA. Most offices require this to be done at least two weeks before closing. It is important to have this done in enough time for the office to prepare the CDA, they do not like last minute.
Have you emailed the agent's CDA to the agent for approval and confirmed how they want to receive their commissions. If by wire, make sure their banking details have not changed. Be sure the closer is updated with this information. Often the agent's office sends it automatically, but never assume it was sent or that it is correct, always follow up. Not all offices are the same.
We are now getting closer to the day of closing.
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Are there any non-realty items the buyer needs to pay the sellers for. If so, have the buyer bring a cashier's check payable to the sellers to give to the closer. Coordinate this so the sellers receive payment at closing and funding. This payment cannot be on the settlement statement and needs to be handled separately.
Send the buyer their closing reminder and confirm how they are sending their funds, either by check or wire. Have the buyer contact the title company directly for the preferred payment method and remind them to be cautious of wire fraud. If they wire funds, they should call the title company and review the wire instructions the closer emailed, making sure everything matches the title company's name and details. The buyer will need to let you know when the wire is sent so you can follow up with the title company right away to confirm.
Recommend all parties sign as early in the day as possible so closing and funding can happen earlier in the day and keys can be given to the buyer who is then the new owner. Remember with financing is involved, it takes longer for the buyer to sign documents. Cash is quick.
Have you called the buyer a few days before closing to make sure they know where they are going, they know what they need, and to see if they have any questions. This call is critical. Almost every time I make these calls, I learn something I didn't know that needs to be handled right away.
Have you sent a text to both the seller and your agent confirming the closing time and location. Everyone appreciates this, and I usually send it two days before closing.
Almost to the day of closing!
8Read the first column all the way down, then move to the next column.
You've made it to closing day. If the buyers were also selling their home and using their proceeds for the purchase, and you are managing that transaction, follow up to make sure the final signed closing statement is sent to their purchase lender right away. If needed, help coordinate the proceeds for their new purchase with the title company they are closing with. Ideally both closings happen at the same title company, but often they do not, so your help keeping everything smooth really matters. If the agent can coordinate both at the same place, the process is much smoother.
After all parties have signed, closing and funding usually follow soon after. Email the closer to confirm as keys can only be given once closing and funding has occurred, never before and never at the walk-through. Be sure the listing agent closed out the MLS under the correct agent's name, especially if the agent is on a team. Upload the sold MLS sheet to the agent's back office for record keeping and submit for compliance only if needed.
Follow up with the the buyer by email using your thank you template, attach a PDF copy of the final signed closing statement so they have it on hand, and confirm they have received their keys.
Follow up with your agent to confirm they received their commissions. By now you should have received your contract-to-close fee as noted on the agent's CDA. Tell the closer how you want to be paid.
Download a PDF copy of the sold MLS sheet and upload it to your agent's back office. Review it to confirm the listing agent closed it out with the correct information. If you are managing contracts for a team, make sure the sold MLS reflects the team accurately.
Does your agent have a CRM they need you to update after closing making sure their client has been added?
You made it, the day of closing.
9Congratulations!
"I hope you had a boring transaction —
meaning everything went smoothly and
exactly as it should."
MLS-Girl · 2026
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