A real estate transaction coordinator, or TC, runs the paperwork and the calendar of a home sale from the signed contract to the closing table. The agent negotiates and advises; the TC makes sure every document is signed, every deadline is met and everyone on the file knows what happens next. Some TCs are on staff at a brokerage, many are independent and paid per file, and more of the work is now done by software that an agent or a TC supervises.
What a transaction coordinator does
The job starts the moment both sides sign and ends when the file is closed and archived. Day to day, that means:
- Opening the file. Collecting the executed contract, counters and addenda, and confirming the parties, the lender, the title company and both brokerages.
- Building the timeline. Turning the contract's dates and deadlines into a calendar everyone can see: earnest money, inspection objection, appraisal, loan, title and closing.
- Chasing what is due. Reminding the buyer about earnest money, the lender about the appraisal, the seller about disclosures, and the title company about the commitment, before each deadline rather than after.
- Collecting signatures. Sending amendments, inspection notices and disclosures for signature and checking that every page and initial is there.
- Keeping the file compliant. Making sure the brokerage has every document its managing broker and the state require, in the order they need it.
- Coordinating closing. Confirming the closing time, the final walkthrough, wiring instructions through the title company, and possession.
What a transaction coordinator does not do
In most states a TC who is not licensed cannot negotiate terms, give advice about the contract, or show property. Those belong to the licensed agent. Rules differ by state and by brokerage, so a TC who works across states should check what each state's commission allows. When a question is about what a term means for the client, the TC routes it back to the agent.
In-house, freelance or software
| Option | How it is usually paid | Works best when |
|---|---|---|
| In-house TC | Salary or hourly, paid by the brokerage or team | A team closes enough files every month to keep one person busy |
| Freelance or TC company | A flat fee per file, often paid at closing | Volume goes up and down and the agent wants someone else to run the file |
| Software with a person checking it | A monthly subscription per agent | The agent wants deadlines tracked and reminders sent automatically, and to approve what goes out |
The options are not exclusive. Many freelance TCs use transaction software themselves, and a team with an in-house TC still benefits when the deadlines calculate and the reminders draft themselves.
A transaction coordinator checklist
- Executed contract, every counter and addendum, and the brokerage disclosures on file.
- Contacts confirmed: buyer, seller, both agents, lender, title or escrow officer, and the HOA if there is one.
- Every contract date entered and double-checked, including weekend and holiday rules.
- Earnest money delivered and the receipt on file.
- Seller disclosures, lead-based paint disclosure if the home was built before 1978, and HOA documents delivered on time.
- Inspection scheduled; objection and resolution sent and signed before their deadlines.
- Appraisal ordered and received; any gap handled before the appraisal deadline.
- Title commitment reviewed; objections sent on time.
- Loan approval and the closing disclosure on schedule.
- Closing time, walkthrough and possession confirmed; the file closed and archived.
How Offers & Contracts handles the coordinator work
Offers & Contracts fills the state contract from the deal, computes every deadline the contract's way, and keeps the file moving: it drafts the reminder before each deadline, collects signatures on the client's phone, and flags what needs the agent's call. Nothing goes out until the agent approves it, and only the form's blanks are filled; the printed text of a Commission form is never changed. It is live in Colorado today, with more states to follow, and costs $49 per agent a month on its own. See the Colorado contract guide for how the deadlines work there.