{"id":11234,"date":"2019-07-31T12:28:51","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T19:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=11234"},"modified":"2026-03-31T10:30:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T17:30:54","slug":"moving-to-do-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/moving-to-do-list\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Quick Moving To Do List: 10 Last-Minute Checks for Home Sellers"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we scoured through traditional moving to-do lists, we noticed something. They are daunting, but not necessarily tailored.<\/p>\n

Sometimes comprehensive is what you need. If so, head to our existing guides on how to pack like a perfectionist<\/a>, calculate the exact number of boxes you need<\/a> and find them on the cheap, and organize it all with an exhaustive moving checklist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But home sellers face unique challenges in a move as they pass the baton off to the buyers. So we decided to research: What\u2019s most likely to slip a seller\u2019s mind as the deal comes to a close? And then we picked the brain of a top-rated real estate agent to get her take.<\/p>\n

The result: Here\u2019s a list of moving to-dos for sellers that are easy to forget about in the heat of the move.<\/p>\n

These are the key tasks required to keep buyers happy and reduce the risk of the sale falling through:<\/p>\n

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  1. Lock all windows and doors before you leave.<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Do a final sweep in those out-of-sight, out-of-mind rooms (basement, attic, garage, storage rooms, refrigerator).<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Gather all garage keys, codes, and passwords the buyer will need to get in.<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Disconnect your smart home devices.<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Stock up on supplies that protect your floors and walls.<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Set a stop date for utilities, and restart them at your new property.<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Take pictures to prove the house was in good shape when you left.<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Set aside important docs you need for closing.<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Put together a box of cleaning supplies that stays accessible.<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Coordinate with the buyers about when you\u2019ll be 100% out.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you\u2019re wondering what exactly some of these mean and how they make your life easier, let\u2019s dive in.<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a>
    Source: (alexandre zveiger\/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    1. Lock all windows and doors before you leave.<\/h2>\n

    Most of the time, the buyers\u2019 occupancy date will be the same as the close date\u2014but not always.<\/p>\n

    For example, the buyers may be moving from out of state and need a few days after the transaction goes through as they haul their belongings across state lines.<\/p>\n

    The problem with that? Houses that look vacant are low-hanging fruit for burglars and squatters who are banking on you forgetting about that one window in that one room. In fact, 30% of burglaries<\/a> result from unlocked doors and windows.<\/p>\n

    Or let\u2019s say you begin moving out a few days before your close date, slowly settling into your new house. Your original home still has the for-sale sign and doesn\u2019t appear to be lived in. A burglar strikes. Technically, the buyers have the right to back out of the sale, whether because the house suffered damage or they\u2019re now questioning the safety of the area.<\/p>\n

    Burglars don\u2019t care that the laptop and the 4K flat screen are moved out; they may want to get their hands on valuable building materials such as copper<\/a> or appliances left behind as part of the sale.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

    Smart devices and expensive-looking fixtures can also look attractive to sticky fingers. Always do a final lockup to keep the chaos out.<\/p>\n

    2. Do a final sweep in those out-of-sight, out-of-mind rooms (basement, attic, garage, storage rooms, refrigerator).<\/h2>\n

    Adopting the Marie Kondo\u2019s lifestyle<\/a> is great and all, but leaving your old junk behind for the next homeowners is not the way to do it. If your buyers walk in and discover items you didn\u2019t take with you, like holiday decorations in the attic or old tools left in the garage, you\u2019ll have to make it right. And it doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019ve moved out of state.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe’ll take care of the problem monetarily, and we’ll just take that out of that escrow money,\u201d explains Dakota Riley<\/a>, a top 1% real estate agent in Weymouth, Massachusetts. \u201cSo it will be remedied either by yourself physically or by that money that’s sitting [in escrow]. And then you will receive less of your home sale proceeds<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Bottom line: Leave no item behind. That box of old books in the attic and the bag of winter clothes you keep on the tip-top shelf in the closet, take it all. Think about the rooms and areas of your home you didn\u2019t often access\u2014 double and triple check them for items you may have forgotten you owned.<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a>
    Source: (CMDR Shane\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    3. Gather all garage keys, codes, and passwords the buyer will need to get in.<\/h2>\n

    Think about everything that\u2019s either password and padlock protected, and make sure the buyer has the keys and remotes they\u2019ll need. While it\u2019s safe to assume the new homeowners will change the locks, you still have to provide all the copies of your key. Don\u2019t forget these items and bring them to the final signing unless instructed otherwise by your agent:<\/p>\n