When a client holds up a closing, it’s rarely carelessness. It’s a task they didn’t know about, didn’t understand, or heard about too late.
The good news is that the list is short and predictable. Set it up well on day one and most of these tasks never become a problem.
The to-dos that hold up closings
- Earnest money. Contracts typically give a short window after acceptance, which makes it the first deadline a client can miss. It’s also a wire, which brings fraud risk.
- Homeowners insurance. A lender needs proof before closing. Clients often assume it can wait until move-in, and quotes take longer on some homes.
- Signing the Closing Disclosure. On most mortgages there’s a waiting period between receiving it and closing, so a late acknowledgment can push the date. The lender will confirm the exact timing.
- Lender document requests. Pay stubs, bank statements, a letter explaining a deposit. Each one is small; the second request for the same thing is where time slips.
- Seller tasks. Disclosures, HOA documents, and leaving the home empty and ready for the walk-through.
Set each to-do up to succeed
A to-do that just says “Insurance” is a reminder for you, not an instruction for them. Give each one:
- A due date with a buffer before the real deadline.
- One sentence on why it matters: “Your lender won’t schedule closing without it.”
- Exactly what “done” looks like: the specific document, and where it goes.
- Who to ask if they get stuck.
Share the whole list on day one, with dates. Clients plan around what they know about. Surprises are what get missed.
Keep the list where they’ll look
A to-do list buried in the third paragraph of an email from two weeks ago isn’t a list anyone can use. Clients check things on their phones, between other things, often in the evening. Whatever you use, make sure they can see their own tasks at a glance, separate from everything you and the lender are doing.
- Their tasks only, with your steps kept out of the way.
- The next one at the top, with its date.
- A way to send the document right there, not “reply to this email with the attachment”.
- A clear sign that something they sent arrived and is being checked.
That last point matters more than it looks. A client who isn’t sure their upload went through will send it again, or worry, or call. Telling them “got it, I’m reviewing it” closes the loop.
Remind before, not after
A reminder after the due date isn’t really a reminder. It’s a delay you’re reporting. The useful one lands a day or two before, while there’s still time to act.
- Day one: the full list, with dates.
- A couple of days before each due date: a short reminder that repeats the instruction.
- The day after it’s due: a friendly nudge, with a copy to you so you can call if needed.
- Still nothing: call. A two-minute conversation clears up “I wasn’t sure which document you meant.”
Wording you can copy
Before the date: “Hi [name], a quick heads-up that [to-do] is due [day]. [One line on why it matters.] You can [how to do it]. Any questions, just reply.”
After the date: “Hi [name], [to-do] was due [day] and it’s now holding up [next step]. Could you take care of it today? If something’s in the way, tell me and we’ll sort it out together.”
For anything involving money: “Before you send your earnest money, call escrow at a number you already trust to confirm the instructions. Never use wiring instructions that arrive only by email or text.”
Review documents the same day
Once a client uploads something, the clock is on your side. A document that sits unreviewed for two days is as late as one that never arrived, and if it’s the wrong document, the client needs to know while there’s still time to get the right one.
Look the same day. Approve it, or send it back with one line that says exactly what you need instead: “This is the insurance quote; the lender needs the declarations page. Your insurer can email it to you.”