A Comprehensive Buyer Checklist For Realtors: 3 Amazing Free Samples To Keep You Organized
We know how tough it is to be a buyer’s agent. You’re busy—meeting clients, scouring the multiple listing service (MLS) for suitable properties, attending property viewings, and negotiating deals all take time.
Then there’s the competition. The real estate industry is hot, and the best properties get many offers. You won’t get paid if your clients’ offer isn’t accepted.
This leaves real estate agents with very little time to focus on the closing process.
Closing is notoriously complicated. Missing key dates or losing track of important documents could delay or cause the deal to fall through.
The closing process must run as smoothly as possible once the buyer accepts the offer.
The best way for a buyer’s agent to do this is by using checklists to help keep their real estate deals on track.
In this article, we’ll share three free checklist templates that a buyer’s real estate agent can use to close more deals successfully.
Why a Buyer’s Agent Checklist Is Helpful
Most of the buyer’s checklists you can download for free focus on the real estate sales process—in other words, bringing clients in, helping them with house hunting, and assessing multiple homes.
But most buyers’ agents don’t need a checklist for this—they love finding properties for their clients and are good at it.
However, very few enjoy the closing process. This period starts when the contract is signed and ends when the deal closes.
It involves a lot of paperwork, and things are most likely to go wrong if a buyer’s agent is disorganized.
The checklists in this article have been designed to help buyer’s agents keep each deal progressing as it should after their client’s offer has been accepted.
These checklists help them to:
Stay organized
This is the most important reason. Many agents think they can move on to the next client once an offer has been accepted.
But the next stage is just as critical. If you miss key dates or lose documents, your real estate deal can be delayed or even fall through. This not only costs you money but also damages your reputation.
Using checklists ensures you know what needs to be done and when. It also means that anyone else involved in the deal—like your broker or transaction coordinator—can see what stage it is at.
Save time
There’s no bigger waste of time than sifting through notes and emails trying to remember what stage a deal is at.
Syncing your checklist with your calendar lets you see exactly what you need to do that day to keep the deal moving forward.
Predict revenues
This is a benefit of using checklists that buyers’ agents may forget. Knowing the different stages a deal needs to go through before it closes can help you predict when you will get paid.
You can also predict how likely a deal is to fall through.
For example, a deal that is in itsfinal walkthrough is nearly complete. There is little risk of a critical issue, and you will likely close the deal in a week.
But if an offer has only just been accepted, there is still a long way to go, and any number of issues could arise before you’re making commissions and driving revenue.
The Real Estate Buying Process Explained
Before we give you some examples of buyer’s checklists, here’s a basic overview of the real estate buying process:
Meet your buyer
This is usually a short 30-minute meeting where you build an initial relationship with your client, tell them how you work, and find out what kind of property they want.
Sign the paperwork
A lot of paperwork needs signing in the buying process, including your own contract. Get as much of it signed upfront as you can.
Mortgage pre-approval
Ideally, your clients will get a pre-approval letter for mortgage finance before they start searching for properties. Getting it early means they’ll have a clear idea of how much money they have to work with. As a result, making an offer and negotiating will be much easier.
Research properties
Start looking for properties that match the buyer’s requirements. Send your client a shortlist from your property search and book viewings at the ones that appeal to them.
View properties
Go to property viewings with your clients. This will help you get a better idea of what they like. You can also advise them on things like the cost of potential repairs.
Making an offer and negotiations
If your buyers like a property, you can advise them on a suitable offer.
You may want to conduct a comparative market analysis (CMA) to ensure your buyers are offering a fair amount.
If they agree, send their offer to the seller’s agent. They will either accept it, reject it, or make a counteroffer.
You can then make another counteroffer on behalf of your clients. This process can continue until an offer is accepted or rejected.
Under contract
Once an offer has been accepted, the property is under contract.
The closing process
Once a property is under offer, it triggers a number of processes and deadlines that need to be fulfilled. This includes things like:
- Home inspections.
- Title searches.
- Removing contract contingencies.
- Getting home insurance.
- Negotiating repairs.
Get the keys
Once the closing process is complete, the buyer and seller sign the closing documents, and the buyer gets the keys.
3 Buyer’s Agent Checklists to Use
Each of these checklists takes a different approach to the transaction management process.
You can choose whichever one works best for you. We recommend customizing them to suit your way of working.
Many buyers won’t know what’s expected of them during the buying or closing process—especially first-time buyers.
This is why it’s a good idea to meet with your buyers before you view any properties and go through the checklist to explain the buying process and what they can expect.
A checklist will ensure they understand the urgent stages, allowing them to prepare the relevant information on time.
1. Pending buyer checklist
This buyer checklist example is tailored to suit real estate teams. It includes two tasks relating to approving a mortgage loan, should this be something you provide as a service.
It also includes sending a gift to buyers at closing. This shows you value their business and helps you retain their loyalty.
| Task | Relative due date |
 Send contract timeline to buyers | 1 calendar day after the acceptance date |
| Send buyers a list of home inspectors | 1 calendar day after the acceptance date |
| Earnest money deposit check | 2 calendar days after acceptance date |
| Schedule home inspection | TBD |
| Fully signed contract with buyers | TBD |
| Lead-Based Paint Disclosure signed by seller and buyers (if applicable) | TBD |
| Conditional loan approval due (if financing) | TBD |
| Final loan approval due (if financing) | TBD |
| Send utility list to buyers | 5 calendar days after the acceptance date |
| Confirm the closing date and time with the client | 7 calendar days before the closing date |
| Send gifts to buyers | On close date |
2. Pending documents checklist
This buyer checklist example features several tasks related to the paperwork required for a pending transaction. Keep in mind that different states require the completion of different forms. It is always a good idea to check with your state to see what forms you need.
| Task | Relative due date |
| Agency Disclosure | 1 calendar day after the acceptance date |
| Business Disclosure | 1 calendar day after the acceptance date |
| Buyer’s Affidavit | 1 calendar day after the acceptance date |
| Purchase Agreement | 1 calendar day after the acceptance date |
| Physical Inspection Report/Waiver | 3 calendar days after acceptance date |
| Toxic Mold Disclosure | 3 calendar days after acceptance date |
| Transfer Disclosure Statement | 3 calendar days after acceptance date |
| Buyer’s Election of Inspection | 3 calendar days after acceptance date |
| Water Certification | 7 calendar days after the acceptance date |
| Smoke Detector Certification | 7 calendar days after the acceptance date |
| Termite Report | 14 calendar days after the acceptance date |
| Home Warranty | 21 calendar days after the acceptance date |
3. Contract-to-close checklist
Once an offer has been accepted by a seller and the listing agent, a contract is signed, and the closing process begins.
This buyer agent checklist focuses on this critical period. It is highly detailed, and there are many strict due dates to meet.
However, it’s also the stage where mistakes can creep in and cause a transaction to fall through.
Many real estate agents are better at generating leads and selling properties than dealing with the deadlines and documents involved in the closing process.
Because of this, the contract-to-close phase is well-suited for transaction coordinators or a closing agent.
| Task | Relative due date |
| Additional deposit due | 2 business days after the acceptance date |
| Buyer to submit the loan application | 3 business days after the acceptance date |
| Buyer initial deposit to escrow or title company | 3 business days after the acceptance date |
| Seller to deliver a list of inventory to the buyer | 5 business days after the acceptance date |
| Verification of cash funds (if applicable) | 5 business days after the acceptance date |
| Pre-qualification letter due | 5 business days after the acceptance date |
| Buyer inventory review period ends | TBD |
| Seller’s Disclosure delivered to buyer | 10 business days after the acceptance date |
| Buyer Acknowledgement of Receiving Seller’s Disclosure | 10 business days after the acceptance date |
| Property Inspection Completion by the buyer | 14 business days after the acceptance date |
| Title search and tenancy due | 15 business days after the acceptance date |
| Seller’s disclosure review period ends | 15 business days after the acceptance date |
| Conditional Loan Commitment Letter (if applicable) | 15 business days after the acceptance date |
| Survey (if applicable) | 14 business days before the closing date |
| Satisfaction of lender’s conditions | TBD |
| Final walkthrough by buyer | 5 business days before the closing date |
| Seller removal of items from property | 5 business days before the closing date |
| Interior/exterior cleaning | 5 business days before the closing date |
| Scheduled closing date | On close date |
| Home inspection schedule date | TBD |
| Survey schedule date | TBD |
| Termite inspection date | TBD |
| Condo Documents order date | TBD |
| Appraisal Date | TBD |
9 Tips for Better Buyer Checklists
Here are some general tips to help you make the best use of your checklists:
1. Personalize your checklists
Whether you’re using one of the checklists above or a digital solution like Paperless Pipeline, be sure to adjust each checklist so it suits the individual client, agent, property, and market.
For example, the transaction process for first-time buyers purchasing a small city-center apartment will be very different from someone buying a 30-acre ranch via foreclosure.
2. Talk your clients through your checklists
Many clients won’t know or remember what to expect from the real estate transaction process.
Your checklists serve as a useful guide to walk them through each stage of the buying process. You can tell them what will happen and what they need to do.
This prepares your clients and ensures that there are no surprises. Knowing deadlines and important milestones will help them complete their tasks on time.
3. Use checklists to understand your clients’ dream homes
Checklists don’t just need to guide you through transaction processes. They can also help you determine what type of home your client desires.
Include things like:
- Price range.
- Type of property.
- Number of bedrooms.
- Number of bathrooms.
- The number of other rooms.
- Size of kitchen.
- Size of garden.
- Do they want a drive?
- Do they want a garage?
- Should there be a pool?
- Do they want any outbuildings?
4. Create a checklist to record client reactions
Checklists can also record your clients’ reactions after seeing your prospective properties.
As you take them around the property, check off everything they like about it. You can also list more abstract factors, like first impressions and value for money.
5. Talk about inspections early
You need to act fast to complete inspections, so it’s a good idea to have a separate checklist for this and talk your clients through it.
Have a list of trusted home inspectors on hand who you can recommend to your clients.
The inspection should include:
- Is the home well-insulated?
- Are there drainage issues?
- Are the electrical components safe?
- Is the plumbing in good condition?
- Is the boiler in good working order?
- Is there any damp or mold present?
- Are the foundations solid?
6. Check in on your clients’ progress
Some parts of your checklist will depend on your clients taking action. Don’t assume they will meet deadlines. They are just as likely to lose paperwork or miss critical milestones.
Give them a friendly call a few days before the deadline to make sure they have everything they need and are still on track to submit it.
7. Partner with lenders
Getting a mortgage pre-approval letter is an important step on your checklist. You can speed up this stage and provide better service for your clients by partnering with a local mortgage broker or lender.
This presents a lead-generation opportunity for both parties. By partnering with a lender, you can offer finance to your clients. They can recommend your real estate agent services to their finance customers.
8. Partner with a closing company
Partnering with a title company allows you to recommend a trusted business to clients. But there’s also another benefit.
Getting their expertise in submitting documents and meeting deadlines will help develop a more efficient process.
For example, they will know many common title issues and will be able to help you create a checklist that avoids them.
9. Be specific about tasks
Be as granular as possible when it comes to adding tasks to your checklist. This ensures there is no confusion and nothing gets missed.
Think about each step and task that each person involved in the transaction needs to take.
For example, a home inspection involves many steps, like attending the inspection report, asking questions, approving the report, and sending the approved report.
How a Real Estate Professional Can Use Checklists to Boost Their Business
Simply having a checklist isn’t enough—especially if you host it on a spreadsheet.
For example, what happens when you have hundreds of things to do on those busy days? How can you guarantee that you’ll remember to look at your checklist?
What happens if you download a copy to use on the road? Can you guarantee that you can update the master copy at the office?
You need a transaction management system built around your checklists—like Paperless Pipeline.
Our transaction management software bases each deal around a checklist (or multiple checklists). This becomes the heart of your real estate business, helping drive every deal toward completion.
Here’s how our checklists help keep you on track:
- Your checklists sync with emails and calendars, providing daily task reminders and to-do lists that ensure you don’t miss deadlines.
- Checklists can be automatically applied every time you open a new transaction. This allows you to instantly auto-populate due dates and reminders in your calendar, saving you time.
- The checklist acts as a single source of truth—if a task is checked off the list, you (and any colleagues working with you on the transaction) can be confident it has been completed.
- Paperless Pipeline can be accessed from any device, anywhere, so tasks can be seamlessly managed—no matter where you work.
Speed Up Your Clients’ Home Buying Process with Paperless Pipeline
If you’re a buyer’s agent and found these checklists useful, take advantage of our other free real estate transaction management resources.
Read our complete guide to transaction coordinator checklists. This explains how to tell if you are coordinating transactions well, how checklists can give you the edge over your competitors, and how to create expert-level transaction coordinator checklists in four steps.
Check out our free transaction management spreadsheet. This helps you organize your real estate business.
We also have a guide to simplifying the real estate transaction process. This provides some steps to improve and streamline your real estate transaction process.
You can sign up for a free trial of Paperless Pipeline to discover more powerful checklists and access tools to use them more effectively.