Contract to Close: A Step-by-Step Timeline for Real Estate Agents

Every real estate transaction follows roughly the same arc -- but the details, deadlines, and landmines vary by state, county, and even city. This guide walks through a standard 30-day escrow timeline so you know exactly what should be happening, and when.

Note: California and Arizona have meaningful differences in process. I've called those out where they matter most.

The moment both parties sign, the clock starts on every contingency in the contract.

What needs to happen immediately:

• Fully executed contract sent to escrow/title
• Lender notified with purchase agreement
• Earnest money deposit instructions sent to buyer
• Transaction file opened and all dates logged
• All parties confirmed on communication chain

In California: The earnest money is typically due within 3 business days of acceptance. Don't let this slip -- a late deposit can give the seller grounds to cancel.

In Arizona: The earnest money is usually due within 1-3 days per the contract. The BINSR (Buyer's Inspection Notice and Seller's Response) process begins here too -- inspection must be scheduled quickly.

This is the busiest stretch of the transaction. Multiple things are happening simultaneously.

Inspections:

• General home inspection (typically days 3-7)
• Specialty inspections if needed (roof, sewer, HVAC, pool)
• Pest inspection

Disclosures (California):

• Seller's Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS)
• Seller's Property Questionnaire (SPQ)
• Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD)
• Local city/county disclosures
• HOA documents if applicable

Disclosures (Arizona):

• Seller's Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS)
• HOA addendum if applicable
• Lead-based paint disclosure for pre-1978 homes

The buyer's contingency clock in California doesn't start until disclosures are properly delivered. This is a critical distinction -- a TC tracks delivery confirmation, not just sending.

California: Buyers typically have 17 days for the inspection contingency (though this is negotiable). The Request for Repair (RR) or Notice to Perform (NTP) must be handled within this window.

Arizona: The BINSR must be delivered to the seller within the inspection period (usually 10 days). The seller then has 5 days to respond. This is a hard deadline -- miss it and the buyer accepts the property as-is.

A TC tracks these deadlines obsessively and sends reminders 48-72 hours before each one.

While inspections and disclosures are wrapping up, the lender is working through underwriting.

What a TC monitors:

• Appraisal ordered and scheduled
• Loan conditions submitted and cleared
• Preliminary title report reviewed
• HOA documents ordered and delivered (if applicable)

This is where transactions quietly fall apart. A lender who goes dark, an appraisal that comes in low, or a title issue discovered late -- a TC catches these early and escalates before they become emergencies.

California: The standard CAR contract has a 17-day inspection contingency and a 21-day loan contingency. Buyers must actively remove contingencies in writing -- they don't expire automatically.

A TC ensures:

• Contingency removal forms are prepared and signed on time
• The seller is notified
• The file is updated

Arizona: Contingencies are typically tied to specific dates in the contract rather than a separate removal process. A TC tracks each date and confirms compliance.

The final stretch requires coordination across multiple parties simultaneously.

Checklist:

• Final walkthrough scheduled and confirmed
• Closing disclosure sent and reviewed (lender)
• Wire instructions confirmed with escrow (verify directly -- wire fraud is real)
• All loan conditions cleared
• Closing documents prepared by title
• Commission disbursement authorization signed

Signing: Buyers and sellers sign closing documents (often separately, sometimes at the same table).

Funding: The lender wires funds to escrow. This can happen same day or next day depending on the lender.

Recording: Once funded, the deed is recorded with the county. In California, recording typically happens the same day as funding. In Arizona, it's usually same day or next business day.

Keys: Possession is typically at recording or COE per the contract terms.

• Closing package sent to agent
• Commission confirmed
• File archived for compliance
• Final documents distributed to all parties

Thirty days sounds like a long time. It isn't. Every day of that timeline has tasks, deadlines, and dependencies. One missed step can push closing -- or kill the deal entirely.

A transaction coordinator's job is to make sure none of that happens. Every deadline tracked. Every party informed. Every document in the right place at the right time.

If you're managing this yourself across multiple transactions, you're leaving money on the table -- and taking on unnecessary risk. Let's talk about how Aligned TC can support your business.