# From Contract to Closing: A Texas Seller’s Guide

- Link: https://cleverrealtors.com/sell/contract-to-closing/
- Published: 2026-10-09T02:24:03-05:00
- Author: Hernan Romero

HomeSelling GuideContract to Closing Selling Guide · Stage 08 From Contract to Closing: A Texas Seller’s Guide Accepting an offer starts a new set of deadlines. Here’s what sellers do between contract and closing: inspections and repairs, the appraisal, title and survey, the final walkthrough, closing day, and handing over the keys. Reviewed by Hernan Romero, Real Estate Broker, Clever Realtors · Last reviewed October 2026 On this page Key takeaways The seller’s timeline Option period and repair requests Completing agreed repairs The buyer’s appraisal Title commitment and survey Protecting the property Closing day and your proceeds Possession and moving out Seller checklist FAQ Sources Key takeaways Under the standard resale contract, sellers must allow access for inspections and keep the utilities on while the contract is in effect. Repair agreements must be in writing, and agreed repairs are generally completed before closing by licensed or qualified professionals. The seller provides the title commitment and, depending on the contract, an existing survey or a new one. If the property is damaged before closing, the contract generally requires the seller to restore it by the closing date. Signing, funding, and possession may happen at different times. Your contract controls when the buyer gets the keys. The seller’s contract-to-closing timeline Contract signedThe broker fills in the Effective Date, and the buyer delivers earnest money and any option fee to the escrow agent, usually the title company. Inspections during the option periodYou provide access, and the buyer may request repairs or a price change. Title and surveyThe title company prepares the commitment; survey documents are delivered as the contract specifies. Appraisal and loan approvalIf the buyer is financing, the lender orders an appraisal and completes underwriting. Agreed repairs completedFinished before closing, with documentation for the buyer. Final walkthroughThe buyer confirms the property’s condition shortly before closing. Closing, funding, and possessionYou sign the deed, the transaction funds, and possession transfers as agreed. The option period and repair requests Most buyers negotiate an option period: an unrestricted right to terminate within a set number of days, in exchange for an option fee paid to you. Under the standard contract, the seller must permit access at reasonable times for inspections by inspectors the buyer selects, and must keep the existing utilities on. After inspections, buyers often send a repair request or ask for a price reduction or credit. You can agree, counter, or decline. Any agreement goes into a written amendment. If you can’t agree before the option period ends, the buyer decides whether to terminate or continue. Negotiating tip: Focus on safety items and significant defects, and ask for contractor quotes to compare. A credit or price adjustment can be simpler than completing repairs yourself, subject to what the buyer’s lender allows. See the buyer’s side of this step in option period, inspections, and appraisals. Completing agreed repairs Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the standard resale contract requires the seller to: complete agreed repairs and treatments before the closing date and obtain any required permits; use people who are licensed to perform the work, or, if no license is required, who are commercially engaged in that trade; give the buyer documentation showing the scope of work and payment; and arrange at the seller’s expense to transfer any transferable warranties for the work. Lender-required repairs Sometimes a buyer’s lender requires repairs, often after the appraisal. Under the standard contract, neither party is obligated to pay for these unless agreed in writing. If no one agrees to pay, the contract terminates and the buyer’s earnest money is refunded. The buyer’s appraisal If the buyer is financing, the lender orders an appraisal. If it comes in below the contract price, the buyer may ask to renegotiate. Whether the buyer can terminate depends on the financing addendum and any appraisal addendum in your contract. Options often include a price adjustment, the buyer covering part of the difference, a combination of both, or a request to the lender to reconsider the value with additional comparable sales. Your agent can help you weigh these options against your other choices. Pricing supported by solid comparable sales reduces appraisal surprises. See planning for the buyer’s appraisal. Title commitment and survey Under the standard resale contract, the seller furnishes an owner’s policy of title insurance. Whether the seller or the buyer pays for it is negotiated in the contract. The seller also provides a title commitment, which the contract requires within 20 days after the title company receives the contract, subject to automatic extensions. Survey options The contract offers three survey choices: the seller provides an existing survey with a Texas Department of Insurance affidavit or declaration (often called a T-47), the buyer obtains a new survey, or the seller provides a new survey. Find your existing survey early, since it can save time and money if it’s accepted. Title objections The buyer may object in writing to certain title or survey issues within the contract’s timeframe. If the seller isn’t required to spend money to cure them, the seller has a 15-day cure period. If objections aren’t cured, the buyer can terminate or waive them. Common seller-side items include paying off liens, releasing old judgments, or clearing up ownership records, so tell your agent and the title company early about anything unusual, such as a recent divorce, an estate, or a home-equity loan. Protecting the property before closing Keep the home in its current condition, with ordinary wear and tear excepted, and don’t remove fixtures or items included in the sale. Keep your homeowners insurance in place through closing and possession. Casualty loss: if the property is damaged by fire or another casualty after the Effective Date, the standard contract requires the seller to restore it by the closing date. If that’s not possible for reasons beyond the seller’s control, the buyer has options, including terminating, extending, or accepting the property with an assignment of insurance proceeds where permitted. Closing day and your proceeds At closing, sellers typically sign a general warranty deed and the documents the title company needs, and provide tax certificates showing no delinquent taxes. Under the standard contract, the seller pays expenses such as releasing existing liens, preparing the deed, and half of the escrow fee, plus anything else agreed to, such as contributions toward the buyer’s costs. Property taxes, HOA dues, and similar items are prorated through the closing date. Your net proceeds are disbursed after the transaction funds. Ask your title company how and when you’ll receive them. Protect your proceeds from wire fraud. Never change payment or wiring instructions based on an email alone. Confirm by calling the title company at a phone number you’ve verified independently. Possession, keys, and moving out The standard contract has the seller deliver possession upon closing and funding, unless the parties use a written temporary lease, such as TREC’s Seller’s Temporary Residential Lease if you need to stay a short time after closing. Staying without a written lease can create legal and insurance problems. When possession transfers, the current contract also requires the seller to provide written access information for smart devices, such as thermostats, locks, and cameras, and to disconnect their own personal devices from them. Leave all keys, garage remotes, and mailbox keys. Remove belongings and trash unless agreed otherwise. Schedule utility transfers for the possession date. Forward your mail and update your address. Seller checklist: contract to closing For your own planning. Checking items doesn’t send anything to Clever Realtors. Provide access for inspections; keep utilities on Respond to repair requests before the option deadline Put any repair agreement in a written amendment Locate your survey and complete any affidavit Tell the title company about liens or unusual title issues Complete agreed repairs with receipts and warranties Keep homeowners insurance in place Verify wiring instructions by phone Prepare keys, remotes, and smart-device access Move out by the agreed possession date Frequently asked questions Do I have to make the repairs the buyer asks for?No. Repair requests are negotiated. You can agree, offer a credit or price change, or decline. If you can’t reach agreement during the option period, the buyer can choose to terminate. When do I get my money?After closing and funding. The title company disburses your proceeds according to the closing statement. Ask them about timing and method in advance. Can I stay in the house after closing?Only if you and the buyer agree in writing, typically with a temporary lease. Without one, possession transfers at closing and funding under the standard contract. What if the appraisal is low?The buyer may ask to renegotiate. Whether they can terminate depends on the financing and appraisal addenda in your contract. You can adjust the price, hold firm, or find a middle ground. What if something breaks before closing?Tell your agent right away. Under the standard contract, the seller generally must restore casualty damage by the closing date. Other issues may need to be disclosed or negotiated. Sources and further reading TREC — One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) TREC — Amendment to Contract TREC — Seller’s Temporary Residential Lease TREC — Third Party Financing Addendum IRS Publication 523 — Selling Your Home This article is general information about common Texas residential transactions, not legal or tax advice. Your obligations depend on your contract and addenda. Consult a Texas real estate attorney or tax professional for advice. Keep reading Selling · Stage 07Reviewing OffersChoosing the offer that leads here. Selling · Stage 01Estimating Net ProceedsWhat you’ll walk away with. For BuyersClosing from the Buyer’s SideWhat your buyer is preparing for. Next MoveHome Buying GuideBuying your next home? Start here. ← Previous stageCompare Offers and Negotiate All selling stages Buying next? →Home Buying Guide Under Contract? We’ll Guide You to Closing Talk with a Clever Realtors agent about deadlines, repairs, and what to expect at the closing table. Start My Selling PlanMeet Our AgentsCall 972-741-4273