Seller Closing Day Checklist: What to Do the Week Before Closing

Seller Closing Day Checklist: What to Do the Week Before Closing
META DESCRIPTION: Getting ready to close on your home? Here's the last-minute seller checklist most agents never share — utilities, address changes, Amazon, and more.
SLUG: /seller-closing-day-checklist
TARGET KEYWORDS: seller closing checklist, what to do before closing on your home, closing day tips for sellers, how to prepare for closing day, selling a home in Florida

Seller Closing Day Checklist: What to Do the Week Before Closing
Published by [Your Name] | [Your Brokerage] | Serving Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs & Estero, FL

You've accepted an offer, survived the inspection, and made it through negotiations. Closing day is on the calendar — and you deserve a moment to breathe.
But before you start packing the last boxes, there are a few things that tend to fall through the cracks in the final stretch. Most sellers don't find out about them until it's almost too late. This closing day checklist for sellers walks you through everything you need to handle in the week before closing so nothing slows you down at the finish line.

What Happens the Week Before Closing?
The week before closing is surprisingly busy on the backend. Your title company is doing a final title search, the buyer's lender is issuing final loan approval, and the closing disclosure is being prepared. On your end, the biggest risk is simply forgetting something logistical — which is exactly what this checklist is designed to prevent.
Let's go through it step by step.

1. Transfer Your Utilities — Don't Cancel Them
This is the number one thing sellers get wrong before closing, and it can cause real problems.
The rule: keep all utilities active through closing day, then transfer them to the buyer starting the day after. If you cancel early, the buyer's final walkthrough could be affected — and depending on your contract language, that could delay or complicate closing.
Here's what to handle:
Electric
Call your provider as soon as your closing date is confirmed and schedule a transfer for the day after closing. Set a reminder to call if the date changes. In Southwest Florida, providers like FPL and Lee County Electric typically allow you to schedule transfers online or by phone with a few days' notice.
Water and Sewer
Water accounts in Florida often go through the city or county, and some municipalities require a final meter read before the account can transfer. Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Naples each have their own utility departments, so call early — these can take several business days to process.
Gas
If your home has natural gas or propane service, contact your provider and ask about their transfer timeline. Many require 48 to 72 hours minimum notice for a final read or transfer.
Cable, Internet, and Phone
These you can cancel or redirect to your new address. Just make sure any leased equipment — routers, cable boxes, modems — is returned before your move-out date.
Trash and Recycling
If you pay for private pickup, cancel service after your last collection before move-out. If trash is through the city or county, the new owner will set up their own account.
HOA-Managed Utilities
If your community handles water, irrigation, or trash collection through the HOA, notify the management company of your closing date so accounts can be updated on their end.
Pro tip: make a simple spreadsheet with each account name, the phone number or website, and the date you need to call by. Tackle all of this at least one to two weeks before closing.

2. Do Your Own Final Walkthrough Before the Buyer Does Theirs
Buyers typically do a final walkthrough 24 to 48 hours before closing. Before they do, walk through the home yourself with fresh eyes and check:
Were all requested repairs completed — and do you have the receipts to prove it?
This is the one that can actually stop a closing in its tracks. If the buyer requested repairs as part of the inspection negotiation, they will be looking specifically for those items during their walkthrough. Before they set foot in the house, confirm that every agreed-upon repair has been finished by a licensed contractor, that you have a receipt or invoice in hand, and that the work looks complete and professional. A repair that was done but can't be documented — or one that was started but not finished — gives the buyer grounds to raise concerns or request a closing delay. Don't let that happen. Get your receipts together and do a quick visual check of every repair item before the walkthrough.

Did you remove everything you're taking? Attics, garages, sheds, and storage closets are where things get left behind. Do a sweep of every space.
Are the items that were supposed to stay still in place? If appliances, window treatments, light fixtures, or other items were included in the contract, confirm they haven't been accidentally packed or removed.
Is the home in the same condition as when the offer was made? Buyers have the right to raise concerns if they notice new damage during their walkthrough. Patch nail holes, clean up, and take care of anything obvious.
Did you leave it broom clean? Most Florida contracts require the home to be left in "broom clean" condition. This doesn't mean spotless, but it should be cleared of debris and reasonably tidy.


3. Prepare a Move-Out Packet for the Buyers
Leaving a packet for the new owners is a small gesture that makes a big impression — and it protects you by creating a clear handoff. Leave it on the kitchen counter or bring it to the closing table. Include:

All keys, garage door openers, mailbox keys, gate fobs, and any spare copies
Alarm codes and instructions for the security system
Appliance manuals and any remaining warranties
HOA contact information, community rules, parking passes, and pool or amenity fobs
Utility account numbers or provider contact info so the buyers can set up service smoothly
Paint colors with brand, name, and finish if you have them — buyers always appreciate this


4. Confirm Your Closing Day Logistics
Check in with your title company and your real estate agent to confirm:
How will you receive your proceeds?
Most title companies wire funds directly to your bank account. You'll need to provide your wire instructions ahead of time — but never send those by email. Call your title company directly or use their secure client portal. Wire fraud targeting real estate transactions is real, and it's on the rise in Florida.
What do you need to bring to closing?
Typically a valid government-issued photo ID — many title companies require two forms. Ask your title company in advance so there are no surprises.
Is anything still outstanding on your end?
Repair receipts, HOA documents, permits for any work done on the property — double check that nothing is sitting in someone's inbox waiting on you.
When do you need to be out?
Most contracts require the seller to be fully moved out by closing, or by a specific time on closing day. Confirm this with your agent so you're not caught off guard.

5. Update Your Address — Including Amazon
This is one of the most overlooked steps on any seller's closing checklist, and it catches people off guard weeks after the move.
Start with the essentials: USPS mail forwarding, your bank, your employer, your insurance providers, and the DMV. Florida requires you to update your driver's license address within 30 days of moving.
Then go through your online accounts. Amazon is the one that trips people up the most. Log in, go to Your Account → Manage Addresses, and delete your old address entirely — don't just add the new one. If the old address stays in your account, it can still auto-populate at checkout, which means your next order could get delivered to whoever just bought your house.
While you're at it, check any other platforms where you have a saved shipping address: Target, Walmart, Chewy, Instacart, Wayfair, and any subscription boxes or meal kit services. These are easy to forget and easy to fix — just do it all at once before closing day.

6. A Few Final Details That Matter
Cancel homeowner's insurance on the right date.
Keep your policy active through closing day. Call your insurance agent the day after closing to cancel or adjust — not before. You want to be covered right up until ownership officially transfers.
Hold onto repair receipts.
If repairs were required under the purchase agreement, bring documentation to closing. Even if nobody asks, having it on hand protects you.
Avoid major financial moves until closing is complete.
If you're also purchasing a new home, don't open new credit accounts, take out loans, or make large purchases until both transactions have closed. Last-minute changes to your financial profile can affect financing on both ends.

Florida-Specific Reminders for Sellers
If you're selling a home in Southwest Florida, a few additional things are worth passing along to your buyers that tend to get overlooked in the shuffle of moving:
Extra paint.
If you have leftover paint from any rooms in the home, leave it. Label the cans with the room they go to if you can. Buyers are always grateful when a scuff or touch-up comes up and they don't have to guess the color.
Remotes and controls.
Gather every remote that belongs to the home — ceiling fans, TVs mounted to walls if they're staying, motorized blinds or shades, and especially electric hurricane shutters. Buyers are often standing in a storm trying to figure out how to operate shutters with no manual and no remote. Leave them all together in a labeled bag or box so nothing gets separated.
Warranty paperwork.
Any appliances, HVAC systems, roofing, windows, or other major components that are still under a manufacturer or contractor warranty — leave the paperwork. If warranties are transferable, note that clearly. This is genuinely valuable to a buyer and reflects well on how you maintained the home.
Documentation of repairs.
Any repairs done during your ownership — especially ones completed as part of the inspection negotiation — should be documented and left for the buyer. Invoices, receipts, and contractor information all belong in the move-out packet. If something was fixed professionally, prove it. Buyers appreciate the transparency and it protects you too.
Ongoing service contracts or subscriptions tied to the home.
If you have a pest control contract, lawn care service, pool service, security monitoring, or a home warranty that is transferable, let the buyer know. Some of these can be transferred directly, saving the buyer the hassle of setting up new service. If you're canceling them, give the buyer the provider's contact information so they can decide if they want to continue.

You're Almost There
Closing day is a big deal — it's the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. A little preparation in the final week makes the whole process smoother for you and sets the new owners up for a great experience in their home. That tends to lead to the best possible outcome: a clean closing, happy buyers, and the kind of goodwill that turns into referrals.
If you have questions as your closing date approaches, reach out anytime. Walking sellers through this process — from the first conversation to the closing table — is exactly what I'm here for.

Kayla Hunter
The Palms and Properties Group | KW Elite Realty
(239) 850-7719 | kaylahunterrealty@gmail.com
palmsandpropertiesgroup.com

Serving home sellers across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, and surrounding Southwest Florida communities.