The Closing Process for Sellers
Once you accept an offer, your job as a seller is mostly to hold up your end while the buyer's financing and due diligence run their course. In Massachusetts that typically takes about 30 to 45 days: you sign the Purchase and Sale agreement, cooperate with the inspection and appraisal, keep the home in the agreed condition, and then meet at closing to sign the deed and collect your proceeds. Understanding the costs that come out of the sale is the part sellers most often overlook.
What is the Purchase and Sale agreement for a seller?
After the accepted offer, both sides sign the Purchase and Sale agreement — the binding contract. As the seller you will typically have a real estate attorney review and negotiate it (Massachusetts is an attorney-closing state). It sets the price, dates, what conveys with the home, and your obligations through closing. Getting the terms right here prevents disputes later.
What happens during the buyer's due diligence?
The buyer will inspect the home and their lender will appraise it. Either can lead to a request — repairs, a credit, or a price adjustment. You are not obligated to say yes, but how you respond affects whether the deal holds. Meanwhile, keep the property in the same condition it was in when the offer was accepted; a final walk-through will confirm it before closing.
How do you figure out your net proceeds?
Your net is the sale price minus everything that comes off the top: your remaining mortgage payoff, the real estate commission, attorney fees, the state deed excise (transfer) tax, and any credits you agreed to. Two Massachusetts items to plan for:
- Deed excise tax. As of 2026, the state deed excise is $4.56 per $1,000 of the sale price in most of Massachusetts, and it is customarily paid by the seller.
- The "millionaire" surtax. As of 2026, Massachusetts adds a 4% surtax on the portion of taxable income above $1,107,750 — a threshold a large home-sale gain can push you over. If your sale could be large, talk to a tax professional early so it is not a surprise at filing time.
Your agent and attorney will prepare a net-proceeds estimate so you know your bottom line before you sign.
What happens on closing day?
At closing, you sign the deed and the closing documents, the buyer's funds are disbursed, and the deed is recorded. Your mortgage is paid off from the proceeds and you receive the balance. Once it is recorded, ownership transfers and you hand over the keys. In many cases sellers do not even need to attend in person — your attorney can often handle it.
Curious what your bottom line would look like? Request a free valuation and we will include an estimate of your likely net proceeds, not just a sale price.
For everything leading up to this point, see the seller's guide and reviewing offers.
Under agreement, or getting there?
We keep your closing on track and coordinate with your attorney so you get to the table smoothly — and know your numbers in advance.
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