For most sellers, accepting an offer feels like the finish line. The house is sold, the price is set, the hard part is over. In reality, accepting an offer is more like the starting gun. The next four to six weeks involve a sequence of steps, inspections, and decisions that will determine whether that deal actually makes it to the closing table.
Here's what to expect.
THE CONTRACT GOES INTO EFFECT
Once you've signed the offer, both parties are under contract. The clock starts on several key deadlines — most of which are driven by the buyer's timeline but affect you just as much.
Your agent will walk you through the specific contingencies in the contract. These are the conditions that must be met before the sale can close. The most common ones are the inspection contingency, the appraisal contingency, and the financing contingency. Each one represents a window during which the buyer has the right to renegotiate or, in some cases, walk away.
Understanding what's in your contract — and when each deadline expires — is one of the most important parts of navigating this period.
THE HOME INSPECTION
Within the first several days, the buyer will typically schedule a home inspection. An inspector will spend two to three hours going through the property, evaluating everything from the roof and foundation to the HVAC system, electrical, plumbing, and more.
You don't need to be present, but the home should be clean and accessible. Make sure utilities are on and any crawl spaces or attic access points are clear.
After the inspection, the buyer receives a report. If they find issues — and they almost always find something — they may come back to you with a request. This could be a request for specific repairs, a price reduction, or a credit at closing in lieu of work being done. You're not obligated to agree to every request, but this is often where negotiation continues even after a contract is signed. Your agent's job is to help you evaluate what's reasonable and what isn't.
THE APPRAISAL
If the buyer is financing the purchase, their lender will order an appraisal — an independent assessment of what the home is worth. The lender won't give the buyer a mortgage for more than the appraised value, so the appraisal matters.
If the home appraises at or above the purchase price, this step is complete and you move forward. If it appraises below the purchase price, you're in a situation that requires resolution. The buyer may be willing to make up the difference in cash, the parties may agree to renegotiate the price, or in some cases the deal falls through. This is one of the more stressful potential complications in any real estate transaction, and having an experienced agent who priced your home correctly from the start significantly reduces this risk.
THE BUYER'S LOAN MOVES THROUGH UNDERWRITING
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the buyer's lender is processing the mortgage. Underwriting is the phase where the lender verifies everything — the buyer's income, assets, credit, employment, and the property itself. The lender may come back with conditions: additional documents, explanations for certain financial items, or property-related requirements.
As the seller, you're largely a bystander during this phase. But delays in underwriting are common, and they can push the closing date. It's good to know this going in so a request for a short extension doesn't feel like a red flag.
TITLE SEARCH AND CLEARANCE
A title company or attorney will conduct a search on your property to confirm that you have clear ownership and that there are no outstanding liens, judgments, or claims against the property that would prevent the transfer. This typically happens early in the process and is usually uneventful, but it's worth knowing it's happening.
If any issues come up — an old lien from a contractor, a boundary discrepancy, an easement that wasn't disclosed — they'll need to be resolved before closing.
THE FINAL WALKTHROUGH
A day or two before closing, the buyer will conduct a final walkthrough. This isn't another inspection — it's a verification that the home is in the condition they agreed to buy it in, that any agreed-upon repairs have been completed, and that all items included in the sale are still there.
By this point you should be mostly moved out, utilities should still be on, and the home should be clean. If anything has changed since the inspection — a new water stain on the ceiling, a missing light fixture — the buyer may raise it before they'll proceed to the closing table.
CLOSING DAY
At closing, you'll sign documents transferring ownership of the property, and the buyer's funds will be distributed. You'll receive your proceeds — minus any outstanding mortgage balance, closing costs, agent fees, and other agreed-upon charges — typically as a wire transfer or check.
Once the deed is recorded, the home belongs to the buyer.
The whole process, from accepted offer to close, typically takes 30 to 45 days, though timelines vary depending on the buyer's financing, any inspection negotiations, and local customs.
If you're thinking about selling your home in Northern Virginia and want to understand exactly what to expect every step of the way, our team at The Redux Group is happy to walk you through it. Reach out at thereduxgroup.com.
