Congratulations on selling your home!
It is a great feeling for sellers to have a firm offer on their home but there is still much work to be done before closing day. Here is a list of things I always tell my clients to do in order to be ready to meet their obligations for closing.
Contact Your Lawyer or Notary.
Your lawyer /notary will do the following:
- check the documents prepared by the buyer’s lawyer and explain them to you
- ensure that your old mortgage has been properly discharged, if this is required
- confirm that all payments for which you are responsible have been made
- arrange for you to sign the transfer documents
- prepare a statement for you outlining where all the purchase money was disbursed and give you the net proceeds of the sale.
Fix Any Repairs that were agreed upon in the contract.
If there were any issues that came up during the home inspection and it was mutually agreed upon that these repairs would take place before closing, it is best to act quickly in order to get them done in time. I always assist my clients with suggestions for trades to complete any repairs stated in the contract and help them navigate through that process.
Schedule a moving company or call to rent a moving truck.
In order for the buyers to take possession of your home, your belongings must be removed from the home prior to the agreed upon possession date and time. All belongings must be removed with the exception of any items that were stated in the contract to be left behind.
Notify Utility Companies.
This includes electricity, gas, internet, telephone, alarm, city utilities and cable companies. You should notify them of the closing date so that you pay for your share of the days before closing and if you will be transferring their services to your new home, make sure you give them your new address and applicable start date for utilities at your new location.
Schedule a cleaning company for a move-out clean.
Some sellers prefer to take the stress out of cleaning and opt to use a cleaning service that specializes in move out cleans. If you choose to do this, make sure your belongings will be removed by the cleaning date and time so that the cleaners can properly clean the home.
Schedule a carpet cleaning company.
Some buyers will request that carpets be cleaned by the closing date. Be sure to schedule the carpet cleaners after the house cleaners and ensure there is enough time for the carpets to dry before the buyers take possession of the home.
Contact your home insurance company.
You will want to make sure that your homeowners insurance policy is canceled on possession day. Sellers are responsible for anything that happens to their home right up until the agreed upon date and time of possession of the buyers. Making sure that your home insurance still applies until the possession date and time is a very important detail that you do not want to overlook.
Hand over keys.
Leave keys, garage door openers, and any manuals on the kitchen counter for the buyers and/or arrange for your realtor to pick them up to give to the buyer’s realtor.
There are a lot of tasks that are involved with selling your home so don’t hesitate to talk with your real estate agent so they can guide you through the process from start to finish and provide you with the necessary support to make this process as stress free as possible.
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