The Ultimate Real Estate Buyer Agent Checklist: Everything You Need To Know

As a buyer’s agent, there are endless tasks you need to complete before a deal can close. With so much to do, there’s the chance a deal could fall through the cracks if you don’t meet every critical due date and milestone.

This is why checklists are critical for real estate agents—they serve as reminders to fulfill essential tasks and ensure that deadlines are met on time.

In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive buyer’s side checklist and guide you through each step of the process.

From Active Buyer to Closing: A Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Checklist

Let’s go through each task that should be on your checklist, stage by stage:

The active buyer stage

This is where a buyer expresses an interest in working with you, and you do the groundwork to find them a property.

1. Add the buyer information to Paperless Pipeline

The first step is to set your buyer up on your transaction management system and record their details.

Go into your transaction management platform and create a new transaction. With Paperless Pipeline, you do this by clicking “Add Transaction” in the upper right corner of any page.

There are several different fields to complete. Some need to be filled out, but others may be left blank until you have the required information.

Here are some that are essential at this stage:

Under the “Status” drop-down menu, select “Active”.

Add the buyer’s name and lead source (if relevant).

Click “add buyer as contact” and add their details.

2. Send a welcome email to the buyer

Send the buyer a welcome email to get the relationship off to a great start. Thank them for choosing you and explain the next steps.

You can speed up this part of the buying process by:

Setting up a welcome email template in Paperless Pipeline.
Automatically sending a welcome email for each new transaction.

Clients want to receive messages from you, not a generic email from your transaction management tool. So, add personalized elements that show it was meant for them only.

This might include:

A reference to where you met them or how you met. For example: ‘It was lovely to meet you both at Dale’s Coffee House on Thursday.”’
A reference to something they discussed, such as “I hope the kids are settling well at their new school.”
A short personalized video where you mention them by name, welcome them, thank them for working with you, and tell them how much you look forward to working with them.

3. Ensure pre-approval or proof of funds (POF) is current

Ideally, your clients will already have the funds to buy a property through finance or their own money. They’ll need a letter from their bank or lender to prove this. Finance offers have expiration dates, so check if there is enough time to go through the transaction process.

If there isn’t, ask your client to apply for an extension. If they don’t have a pre-approval letter or POF, ask them to get one as a priority.

4. Get a signed buyer agency agreement

Having a signed agreement in place is critical for buyer’s agents. A good buyer agreement contract should cover the following:

Exclusivity: This is a statement that the buyer will not work with any other real estate agent while under contract with you.
Contract length: How long your contract will be active for—90 days is standard.
Termination rights: In other words, under what conditions will the contract end early, and what will happen afterward.
Compensation: The commission you will receive when the buyer purchases a home.
Property description: A detailed specification of the property your clients want to buy. This clarifies what you are looking for and can help manage client expectations.
Your duties: A list of things you will and won’t do as their buyer’s agent.

5. Set up a property search

Next, look for properties that match your buyer’s requirements. Most agents usually start by searching their multiple listings service (MLS).

The next steps are:

Make a shortlist of suitable properties.

Ask your clients which ones they are interested in and would like to visit.

Attend all property viewings or open houses with your clients and establish what they like or dislike about each.

If your client doesn’t want to make an offer on any of the properties you’ve visited, review their feedback on the ones you attended. Use this to inform a more detailed property search.

Making Offers

This is where the buyer’s agent helps their client get the best possible deal on a property. Here’s how to do this:

1. Run comparative market analysis (CMA)

Determine the property’s worth based on current market conditions by looking at the selling value of similar properties in the local area.

Consider factors like:

Location.
Age.
Size.
Construction.
Style.
Condition

Discuss this with your client and help them decide whether to make an offer and how much it would be.

2. Notify the listing agent of an incoming offer

You now need to email your offer to the listing agent. However, the problem is that every real estate professional gets a lot of emails, and they could easily miss yours.

It’s a good idea to call the listing agent and let them know that your client is going to make an offer, telling them to look out for it.

3. Draft the purchase agreement or offer

Making an offer isn’t just about telling the listing agent what your client will pay. You’ll also need to list their terms and conditions, including:

Contingencies: For example, a contingency stating that your client won’t be expected to buy the property if they are rejected for finance.
Requests for the seller: How much will your client expect the seller to pay towards closing costs?
Timeline: Set some key dates, like when you expect the seller to respond to your offer and when you plan to close on the property.

4. Negotiate

A seller can choose to accept, reject, or send a counteroffer. They can only accept or send a counteroffer to one buyer at a time.

Your buyer can either accept or reject the seller’s counteroffer or send their counteroffer. Negotiations can continue indefinitely until one party accepts or rejects an offer.

5. Obtain all the signed documents

Once an offer is accepted, both parties sign a purchase agreement. For your buyers, this means they pledge to buy the property and can’t back out unless a contingency is broken.

Under Contract

This part of the buyer checklist involves several critical deadlines. At this stage, an admin or a transaction coordinator might be assigned many of these tasks.

1. Change the status in Paperless Pipeline to Pending

Now that your buyer is under contract, you must move the transaction into the pending category on your transaction management tool.

This is easy in Paperless Pipeline—open the transaction, scroll down to the “Status” drop-down menu, and select “Under Contract.”

2. Confirm earnest money or collect the receipt

Your client must deposit money into an escrow account to prove they intend to buy the property. This deposit is usually around one to 3% of the sale price.

If the buyer backs out of the deal, the seller will keep all or part of the deposit.

3. Request the lender to order a title survey

Once a deposit is paid, you should contact your client’s mortgage lender and ask them to order a title survey. Title companies perform a title search and check public records to confirm that the seller owns the property as described and has the right to sell it to you.

4. Request the lender to order an appraisal

You’ll also need to ask the lender to order an appraisal, which is when they inspect the property to ensure that it is worth what your client is paying for it.

5. Assist the buyer with scheduling inspections as needed

Your buyer must arrange inspections to ensure they are satisfied with the property’s condition. Most homes will only require a general inspection, but a specialist inspection might be worth considering in some cases. You’ll receive an inspection report following this step that forms part of the deal and this is where you’d help your client with negotiating repairs.

6. Verify that all title work is complete

Check that you have received the title report and everything is in order. If there are problems with the title, you should inform the buyer and then point them out to the seller.

7. Verify that the appraisal has passed

An appraisal report should only take a few weeks to complete. If the value stated in the appraisal report is higher than your client has agreed to pay, you don’t need to do anything.

However, if the property is worth less than what you are borrowing, your lender may withdraw its initial finance offer, and your client will need another mortgage offer.

8. Review inspection reports with the buyer

Sit down with your client and discuss the issues highlighted in the inspection reports. Are these priced into the house’s value? Are there any that involve significant repair costs?

9. Assist the buyer with ordering a home warranty (if applicable)

Home warranties cover homeowners for repair and maintenance issues at their property. This differs from insurance, which covers a wider range of more serious issues—like fire or criminal damage, usually for new homes.

Some home warranties contain clauses that prevent coverage for common issues, so it’s worth helping your client read the small print to understand what they are buying.

10. Remind the buyer to purchase homeowner’s insurance

Most mortgage companies insist their clients buy homeowner’s insurance as part of their finance agreement. Your client must prove they have it before the lender will release the funds to purchase the property.

11. Confirm the lender’s clear to close

Once the mortgage lender is satisfied that it has everything it needs to release the funds, it will issue a “clear to close,” which triggers the final stages of a deal. After this, a loan officer will schedule a time and date for the closing meeting and assemble the final documents.

12. Remind the buyer to coordinate the utility transfer

This isn’t critical for the real estate process, but is a helpful reminder for your client. There’s nothing more frustrating than paying for bills on the wrong property and not having water, electricity, or internet. First time buyers might not know that this is a step they need to take.

13. Confirm the closing date and time

Ensure your client knows when and where the closing meeting will be, and tell them what to expect. Offer to attend the meeting with them for support and to celebrate the big day.

14. Send the final walkthrough and closing email to the buyer

The final walkthrough is your buyer’s last chance to view the property and highlight any issues before closing the deal. At this stage, some of the issues identified during the inspections may have been addressed—this will be your client’s chance to review the work and ensure they are happy with it.

15. Purchase the closing gift

Send your client a card and a present to congratulate them on their new home and thank them for choosing you to represent them. This is usually a good time to ask them for a reference, get a photo with you to post on a social media platform, or get them to rate you online.

16. Review and confirm Commission Disbursement Authorization (CDA)

As the buyer’s agent, you’ll want to take a look at the Commission Disbursement Authorization (CDA) when it comes in from the listing agent. Double-check that the commission split and payment details are correct. If something doesn’t look right, it’s important to reach out to the title company or attorney to get it sorted before closing.

17. Ensure that no additional amendments are required

Real estate deals can take a long time to complete, and many things can change during the process. This may mean that changes or modifications must be made to the purchase agreement or contract.

Some examples include:

Price amendment

The buyer and seller may agree to amend the purchase price if negotiations result in a different agreed-upon amount. This might happen because:

An inspection revealed repairs need to be made to the property.
The appraisal came in lower than expected.

Closing date amendment

Due to unforeseen circumstances, parties may need to change the originally agreed-upon closing date. For example:

Delays in financing approval.
Title issues.
Personal scheduling conflicts.

Inspection amendment

If a home inspection uncovers issues that were not previously disclosed, the parties may negotiate amendments to address repairs, credits, or concessions. For example, the seller might agree to make specific repairs, offer a credit, or reduce the purchase price.

18. Review the closing disclosure and settlement statement

These are two documents:

The Settlement Statement outlines the financial details of the transaction, including all parties involved, costs, and adjustments.
The Closing Disclosure details your client’s mortgage loan, including the loan terms, monthly payments, and fees.

Once reviewed, you’ll want to ensure your clients get copies to sign, and if anything seems off, it’s important to address it with the closing agent or attorney before the big day.

The post-closing stage

Even after a deal is completed, there are still a number of critical marketing and compliance tasks that need to be fulfilled.

1. Send the vendors a thank you email

Typically, at the end of a real estate deal, it’s a nice gesture for buyers agents to thank all parties involved in the transaction. This could include:

Lenders.
Attorneys.
The title company.
Transaction coordinators.

In other words, anyone who helped the process move smoothly. This will help you foster good relationships—you never know who you might work with again.

2. Add the buyer information to your customer relationship management (CRM) platform

Just because your client has recently bought a home doesn’t mean the relationship ends there. Adding them to your CRM and staying in touch with them will pay dividends in the long run.

The average U.S. homeowner moves house every 5.59 years, so staying in touch with these existing clients is essential. This way, they’ll think of you when they come to sell their home.

3. Submit the final documents to brokerage compliance

All documents required by your broker must be:

Signed.
Fully executed.
Uploaded to your document management system.

This step is critical for brokerage compliance, and some brokers won’t issue an agent’s CDA if they don’t take this step.

4. Change the status in Paperless Pipeline to Closed

The final stage is to close off the transaction in Paperless Pipeline. As before, open the contract, click the status drop-down menu, and choose “Closed.” Paperless Pipeline will store the transaction details for up to 10 years.

Create Powerful Checklists with Paperless Pipeline

The checklist in this article provides a solid foundation for buyer’s agents, but spreadsheets have their limitations—they’re not designed to manage the entire transaction process, and they don’t integrate with other apps.

Plus, keeping track of all the tasks and deadlines in a spreadsheet can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to forget something important.

That’s where Paperless Pipeline’s transaction management software steps in. Our platform lets you create customized, automated checklists, so you can stay organized and on top of every detail without the hassle. Here’s how it helps:

Critical deadlines are met.
You can track important documents.
You can keep each deal moving forward faster, with fewer errors.
Agents can focus on selling.