Washington Contract to Close Timeline: Your Day-by-Day Guide

Complete day-by-day timeline from offer acceptance to closing in Washington: critical deadlines, tasks, and what happens at each stage.

Tags:contract-to-close, timeline, washington, real-estate, legal-contracts, buying-process, closing, deadlines
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Your offer was accepted. Congratulations! Now what?

The next 30–45 days are packed with deadlines, inspections, paperwork, and decisions. Miss a deadline and you could lose your earnest money or kill the deal. This guide provides a complete day-by-day timeline from acceptance to closing, with specific tasks, critical deadlines, and what happens at each stage.

Table of Contents

Timeline Overview

Standard Washington Timeline

Total time: 30–45 days typical

Key phases:

  1. Days 1–10: Inspection and due diligence
  2. Days 11–20: Loan processing and appraisal
  3. Days 21–30: Final loan approval and preparation
  4. Days 30–45: Closing and possession

Can be shorter:

  • Cash buyers: 10–21 days possible
  • Quick close: 21–30 days
  • Requires preparation and cooperation

Can be longer:

  • Seller needs time: 60+ days
  • Financing delays: Add 1–2 weeks
  • Title issues: Add time to resolve

Day-by-Day Timeline

Day 1: Mutual Acceptance

What happens:

  • Both parties sign contract
  • Contract is fully executed
  • Clock starts ticking

Your tasks:

  • Celebrate (briefly!)
  • Calendar all deadlines
  • Set reminders 2 days before each
  • Contact your lender immediately

Agent tasks:

  • Send executed contract to all parties
  • Open escrow
  • Order title report
  • Coordinate with lender

Escrow tasks:

  • Open file
  • Send wire instructions for earnest money
  • Order title report
  • Begin preliminary work

Timeline note: This is Day 1. All deadlines count from this date.

Days 1–3: Earnest Money Due

What happens:

  • You wire earnest money to escrow
  • Escrow confirms receipt
  • Contract is secured

Your tasks:

  • Receive wire instructions from escrow
  • CRITICAL: Call escrow to verify instructions (wire fraud prevention)
  • Wire funds from your bank
  • Confirm receipt with escrow

Amount: Typically 1–3% of purchase price ($10,000–$30,000 in Seattle)

Deadline: Within 3 business days of mutual acceptance

What if you miss it:

  • Seller can cancel contract
  • You lose the house
  • Don't miss this deadline

See our Earnest Money and Terms article

Days 1–5: Seller Disclosures

What happens:

  • Seller provides Form 17 (Seller Disclosure Statement)
  • HOA documents (if applicable)
  • Other required disclosures

Your tasks:

  • Review all disclosures carefully
  • Note any concerns
  • Ask seller for clarifications
  • Decide if any issues warrant cancellation

Your rights:

  • Can cancel within review period (typically 5 days)
  • Get earnest money back
  • No penalty

See our Seller Disclosure Overview article

Days 1–10: Inspection Period

What happens:

  • Schedule and complete home inspection
  • Review inspection report
  • Decide: accept, request repairs, or cancel

Your tasks:

Days 1–3:

  • Schedule home inspection ($500–$700)
  • Schedule specialized inspections if needed:
    • Sewer scope: $300–$500 (recommended for pre-1980 homes)
    • Roof inspection: $200–$400
    • Structural engineer: $500–$1,000
    • Mold specialist: $300–$800

Days 4–7:

  • Attend inspection (highly recommended)
  • Review inspection report
  • Get estimates for major repairs
  • Discuss with agent

Days 8–10:

  • Submit inspection response to seller:
    • Accept as-is
    • Request repairs
    • Request credits
    • Cancel contract
  • Must be in writing before deadline

Deadline: Typically 10 days from mutual acceptance

What if you miss it:

  • Inspection contingency automatically removed
  • Can't cancel for inspection issues
  • Can't request repairs

See our Home Inspection What to Expect article

Days 11–13: Seller Response to Inspection

What happens:

  • Seller reviews your inspection requests
  • Responds: agree, counter, or refuse

Seller options:

  • Agree to all repairs
  • Agree to some repairs
  • Offer credit instead of repairs
  • Refuse all requests

Your tasks:

  • Review seller's response
  • Decide: accept, counter, or cancel
  • Respond within deadline (typically 3 days)

Negotiation tips:

  • Focus on major issues (safety, systems)
  • Be reasonable
  • Consider credits vs repairs
  • Pick your battles

See our Inspection Responses article

Days 1–17: Financing Contingency

What happens:

  • Apply for loan
  • Provide documents to lender
  • Lender processes application
  • Loan approval or denial

Your tasks:

Days 1–3:

  • Contact lender immediately
  • Complete full application
  • Provide initial documents:
    • Pay stubs (last 2 months)
    • Bank statements (last 2 months)
    • Tax returns (last 2 years)
    • W-2s (last 2 years)
    • Other income documentation

Days 4–10:

  • Respond to lender requests promptly
  • Provide additional documents
  • Don't make large purchases
  • Don't change jobs
  • Don't open new credit

Days 11–17:

  • Lender completes underwriting
  • Loan approval issued
  • Or denial (rare if pre-approved)
  • Remove financing contingency

Deadline: Typically 17 days from mutual acceptance

What if you miss it:

  • Financing contingency automatically removed
  • Can't cancel for financing issues
  • Risk losing earnest money

Critical: Make good faith effort. If you don't try, seller keeps earnest money.

Days 10–17: Appraisal

What happens:

  • Lender orders appraisal
  • Appraiser inspects property
  • Appraisal report completed
  • Value determined

Timeline:

  • Ordered: Days 5–7
  • Inspection: Days 10–14
  • Report: Days 14–17

Your tasks:

  • Ensure access for appraiser
  • Wait for results
  • Review appraisal report
  • Discuss with lender and agent

Possible outcomes:

Appraisal at or above purchase price:

  • Great! No issues
  • Remove appraisal contingency
  • Move forward

Appraisal below purchase price:

  • Gap between price and appraisal
  • Options:
    1. Seller reduces price
    2. You pay difference in cash
    3. Split the difference
    4. Cancel contract (get earnest money back)

Deadline: Typically 17 days from mutual acceptance

See our Appraisal Process and Outcomes article

Days 14–21: Title Review

What happens:

  • Title company completes title search
  • Preliminary title report issued
  • Review for issues

What title report shows:

  • Current owner
  • Liens or judgments
  • Easements
  • CC&Rs (if applicable)
  • Exceptions to coverage

Your tasks:

  • Review preliminary title report
  • Note any concerns
  • Ask questions about easements or restrictions
  • Approve or request corrections

Common issues:

  • Old liens (seller must clear)
  • Easements (utility, access)
  • CC&Rs (restrictions)
  • Boundary disputes

See our Title Insurance in Washington article

Days 20–25: Final Loan Processing

What happens:

  • Underwriter reviews all documents
  • Final conditions issued
  • You provide final documents
  • Loan moves toward approval

Your tasks:

  • Respond to any final requests
  • Provide updated documents if needed
  • Don't make financial changes
  • Stay in close contact with lender

Common final conditions:

  • Updated pay stub
  • Updated bank statement
  • Explanation of deposits
  • Verification of employment

Critical period: Don't do anything that affects your finances

Days 25–28: Clear to Close

What happens:

  • Lender issues "Clear to Close"
  • All conditions satisfied
  • Loan is approved
  • Ready for closing

Your tasks:

  • Confirm with lender
  • Notify agent and escrow
  • Prepare for final walkthrough
  • Arrange moving plans

What "Clear to Close" means:

  • Loan is fully approved
  • No more conditions
  • Ready to fund
  • Closing can proceed

Days 28–30: Closing Disclosure Review

What happens:

  • Lender sends Closing Disclosure (CD)
  • Shows all final costs
  • Must receive 3 business days before closing

Your tasks:

  • Review CD carefully
  • Compare to Loan Estimate
  • Check all numbers:
    • Loan amount
    • Interest rate
    • Monthly payment
    • Closing costs
    • Cash to close
  • Report any errors immediately

3-day rule:

  • Must receive CD 3 business days before closing
  • Allows time to review
  • If errors found, may delay closing

See our Closing Disclosure Guide article

Days 28–30: Homeowners Insurance

What happens:

  • Finalize homeowners insurance
  • Provide proof to lender
  • Required for closing

Your tasks:

  • Shop for insurance (if not done already)
  • Select policy
  • Pay first year premium
  • Provide proof to lender (declarations page)

Seattle considerations:

  • Earthquake insurance (separate policy)
  • Sewer backup coverage
  • Flood insurance (if in flood zone)

Cost: $1,200–$2,000/year typical for Seattle SFH

See our Homeowners Insurance Basics article

Day 29–30: Final Walkthrough

What happens:

  • Visit property 24–48 hours before closing
  • Verify condition
  • Check repairs completed
  • Test systems

Your tasks:

  • Bring checklist
  • Test all appliances
  • Check all faucets and toilets
  • Verify repairs completed
  • Note any issues

What to look for:

  • Property in same condition
  • Agreed repairs completed
  • All included items present
  • No new damage

If issues found:

  • Minor: Note for closing
  • Major: May delay closing or hold funds in escrow

See our Walkthrough Checklist article

Day 30–45: Closing Day

What happens:

  • Sign all documents
  • Transfer ownership
  • Get keys

Your tasks:

Before closing:

  • Wire remaining funds to escrow (verify instructions by phone!)
  • Bring government-issued ID
  • Bring cashier's check (if not wiring all funds)

At closing:

  • Sign documents (1–2 hours)
  • Review final numbers
  • Ask questions
  • Get keys (after recording)

Documents you'll sign:

  • Deed
  • Mortgage/Deed of Trust
  • Closing Disclosure
  • Truth in Lending
  • Many others

After closing:

  • Recording happens (same day in WA)
  • Ownership transfers
  • Get keys
  • Move in!

See our Closing Day Guide article

Critical Deadlines Summary

Cannot miss:

  • Day 3: Earnest money due
  • Day 10: Inspection deadline
  • Day 17: Financing deadline
  • Day 17: Appraisal deadline
  • Day 30–45: Closing date

Calendar immediately:

  • Set reminders 2 days before each
  • Don't rely on memory
  • Track in writing

What happens if you miss:

  • Contingency automatically removed
  • Can't use that reason to cancel
  • Risk losing earnest money

Common Delays

Financing Delays

Causes:

  • Slow document submission
  • Underwriting issues
  • Appraisal delays
  • Title issues

How to avoid:

  • Respond to lender immediately
  • Provide complete documents
  • Don't make financial changes
  • Stay in contact

If delayed:

  • Request extension from seller
  • Must be mutual agreement
  • Get in writing

Appraisal Delays

Causes:

  • Appraiser scheduling
  • Complex property
  • Comparable research
  • Report writing

How to avoid:

  • Order early (Day 5–7)
  • Ensure property access
  • Provide comps to appraiser

If delayed:

  • Request extension
  • Lender can expedite
  • May need to extend closing

Title Issues

Causes:

  • Liens or judgments
  • Boundary disputes
  • Missing documents
  • Estate issues

How to avoid:

  • Order title early
  • Review promptly
  • Address issues immediately

If delayed:

  • Seller must resolve
  • May need attorney
  • Can extend closing

Seller Delays

Causes:

  • Repairs not completed
  • Moving delays
  • Financing their purchase
  • Personal issues

How to avoid:

  • Clear communication
  • Reasonable expectations
  • Flexibility

If delayed:

  • Negotiate extension
  • Or rent-back
  • Or walk away

Extension Process

When You Need More Time

Valid reasons:

  • Financing delay
  • Appraisal delay
  • Title issues
  • Inspection issues

How to request:

  1. Contact seller through agent
  2. Explain reason
  3. Propose new deadline
  4. Get agreement in writing

Seller's options:

  • Agree (most common if valid reason)
  • Refuse (can cancel contract)
  • Negotiate terms

Extension addendum:

  • Must be in writing
  • Both parties sign
  • New deadline specified
  • Original contract terms remain

What If Seller Refuses

Your options:

  • Close on time (if possible)
  • Cancel contract (if have valid contingency)
  • Risk default (if no contingency)

Seller's options:

  • Cancel contract
  • Keep earnest money (if you default)
  • Sue for specific performance

Best practice:

  • Communicate early
  • Be reasonable
  • Work together
  • Most sellers will extend for valid reasons

Real Seattle Timeline Example

Property: Ballard House, $900,000

Day 1 (Monday, April 1):

  • Mutual acceptance
  • Earnest money: $25,000 due by April 4

Day 3 (Wednesday, April 3):

  • Wired earnest money to escrow
  • Confirmed receipt

Day 4 (Thursday, April 4):

  • Received seller disclosures
  • Scheduled home inspection for April 6

Day 6 (Saturday, April 6):

  • Home inspection completed
  • Scheduled sewer scope for April 8

Day 8 (Monday, April 8):

  • Sewer scope completed
  • Reviewed all reports with agent

Day 10 (Wednesday, April 10):

  • Submitted inspection response
  • Requested: roof repair ($3,000), electrical panel upgrade ($2,500)

Day 13 (Saturday, April 13):

  • Seller agreed to $4,000 credit
  • Accepted seller's response

Day 14 (Sunday, April 14):

  • Appraisal completed

Day 17 (Wednesday, April 17):

  • Appraisal came in at $905,000 (above purchase price)
  • Loan approval received
  • Removed financing and appraisal contingencies

Day 20 (Saturday, April 20):

  • Reviewed preliminary title report
  • No issues found

Day 27 (Saturday, April 27):

  • Received Closing Disclosure
  • Reviewed all numbers
  • Finalized homeowners insurance

Day 29 (Monday, April 29):

  • Final walkthrough completed
  • All items present, condition good

Day 30 (Tuesday, April 30):

  • Closing at 10am
  • Signed all documents
  • Recording completed at 2pm
  • Received keys at 3pm
  • Moved in!

Result: Smooth transaction, closed on time, no major issues

Summary: Key Takeaways

  • Standard timeline: 30–45 days from acceptance to closing
  • Critical deadlines: earnest money (3 days), inspection (10 days), financing (17 days)
  • Calendar all deadlines immediately and set reminders
  • Respond to lender requests immediately (don't delay financing)
  • Common delays: financing, appraisal, title issues, seller delays
  • Extensions possible but require mutual agreement
  • Stay in close contact with agent, lender, and escrow
  • Don't make financial changes during contract period

Next Steps

  1. Calendar all deadlines immediately after acceptance
  2. Contact lender same day as acceptance
  3. Schedule inspection within 2–3 days
  4. Review disclosures as soon as received
  5. Respond promptly to all requests
  6. Stay organized with checklist and timeline
  7. Communicate with your agent regularly

Related articles:

Additional Resources

Timeline tracking:

  • Create spreadsheet with all deadlines
  • Use calendar app with reminders
  • Your agent will track too

Questions:

  • Ask your agent
  • Ask your lender
  • Ask escrow officer
  • Don't hesitate to clarify

Washington State:

  • Standard forms: NWMLS
  • Escrow regulations: Washington State Department of Financial Institutions

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about Washington contract-to-close timelines. Specific timelines and requirements may vary by contract and market conditions. Always follow your specific contract terms and consult with your agent and attorney. This is not legal advice.

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