Feb. 18, 2006 - The Real Estate Transaction - Seller

1. Seller and Agent determine price and marketing strategy and ascertain where and how the seller will get to where they are going once the property is sold.

2.  Seller and Agent prepare home, sign paperwork, take photos, make flyers, review showing instructions and put the property in the mls.

3.  Agent does Open Houses (public open and/or Broker's Open)

4.  Offer is received.  Agent and seller review the offer. Offer is negotiated and "signed around".

5. Escrow is opened and if a condo, resale certificate is ordered and paid for by the seller.

6.  Seller contracts on their home purchase, if they have not already done so, so they have a place to move out to.

7.  Home Inspection is done and negotiated.

8.  Seller packs and hires mover.

9.  Loan documents arrive at escrow and escrow makes a signing appointment with the seller. (sometimes done prior.)

10.  Escrow faxes estimated closing cost details to agent.  Agent reviews seller's net proceeds with seller prior to the signing appointment.  Agent adjusts figures as needed with escrow.

11.  Seller goes to escrow to sign closing papers with escrow officer.

12.  Escrow calls all parties when the transaction is recorded at the county and agent gets keys from seller' to deliver to buyer's agent.

There a few more steps shown in "Anatomy of a Real Estate Transaction" which has more detail and color coding of who does what.  The Title Company portion is not elaborated upon, as it generally happens in a more "behind the scenes" manner.  However it is an important part of the process as well.