Build a Real Estate Closing Checklist From the Purchase Agreement and Title Commitment

Pull every contingency, deadline and deliverable from the purchase agreement, every requirement and exception from the title commitment, and combine them into one closing checklist with owners and dates.

The Workflow

1. 1

   Set the context and paste both documents

   Tell Claude whose side you are on, the property and the target closing date, then paste the purchase agreement and title commitment in separate labeled tags. Include any amendments and addenda, since they often move dates.

   PromptCopy

   I represent the [BUYER / SELLER / LENDER] in the [purchase / sale / financing] of [PROPERTY DESCRIPTION, e.g., a commercial office building at [ADDRESS]]. The contract effective date is [DATE] and the target closing date is [DATE]. The client's intended use is [USE].
   
   <document title="Purchase and Sale Agreement, with amendments [LIST]">
   [PASTE]
   </document>
   
   <document title="Title commitment no. [NUMBER], effective date [DATE]">
   [PASTE, INCLUDING SCHEDULE A AND SCHEDULE B]
   </document>
   
   First, confirm what you received: the agreement and each amendment with its date, and the title commitment's effective date, proposed insured, policy amount and vesting as stated in Schedule A. Flag any exhibit, addendum or recorded document referenced but not provided, and any inconsistency between the parties or property description in the two documents. Do not extract deadlines yet.

   What you get: A short confirmation of both documents and a list of missing exhibits or mismatches, such as a buyer entity in the contract that differs from the proposed insured in Schedule A.

2. 2

   Extract contract deadlines, deliverables and allocations

   Have Claude pull every time-sensitive obligation and cost allocation from the purchase agreement, quoting the section and computing each date from the effective date.

   PromptCopy

   From the purchase agreement and amendments, extract every contingency, deadline, deliverable, proration and closing-cost allocation.
   
   Table 1, Deadlines and contingencies. Columns: Item | Quoted language | Section | How the period is measured (calendar or business days, from what trigger) | Computed date [VERIFY date math] | Consequence of missing it (quoted) | Party responsible.
   
   Table 2, Deliverables. Columns: Deliverable | Who delivers | To whom | When | Section.
   
   Table 3, Prorations and costs. Columns: Item (taxes, rents, assessments, transfer taxes, title premium, recording fees, escrow fees, other) | Allocation as stated | Section.
   
   Rules: quote the operative language. Apply any definition of 'business day' and any rule for deadlines falling on weekends or holidays that the agreement contains, and quote it. If the agreement is silent on how to count, say so and mark the date [VERIFY date math]. If an amendment changes a date, show both the original and amended terms. Do not assume standard terms the agreement does not contain.

   What you get: Three tables with quotes, sections and computed dates. Recheck every computed date yourself; the counting convention is the most common source of error.

3. 3

   Sort the title commitment requirements and exceptions

   Ask Claude to separate what must be done before the policy issues from what will be excepted from coverage, and to give a preliminary view on which exceptions deserve attention given the client's side and intended use.

   PromptCopy

   From the title commitment, build two tables.
   
   Table A, Requirements (Schedule B, Part I or equivalent). Columns: No. | Requirement (quoted) | What must be done or delivered | Likely responsible party (seller, buyer, lender, title company, counsel) | Must be satisfied before closing? | Notes.
   
   Table B, Exceptions (Schedule B, Part II or equivalent). Columns: No. | Exception (quoted) | Type (standard/general exception, recorded document, survey matter, tax, other) | Recorded document reference if given | Preliminary category: accept / review document / consider objection or endorsement | Reason, considering that I represent the [PARTY] and the intended use is [USE].
   
   Rules: quote each item. Where an exception references a recorded document that I have not provided, say that the document must be reviewed before deciding. Do not decide which exceptions are acceptable; give a reasoned preliminary category and note what information would settle it. Cross-reference the title or survey objection deadline from the contract.

   What you get: Requirements split from exceptions, with each exception given a preliminary category. Pull and read every recorded document flagged 'review document' before the objection deadline.

4. 4

   Combine everything into one closing checklist

   Merge the contract and title items into a single table sorted by due date, with a responsible party and source cite on every row and missing information flagged.

   PromptCopy

   Combine the contract tables and the title tables into one closing checklist. Columns: # | Item | Responsible party (buyer, seller, lender, title, buyer's counsel, seller's counsel) | Due date | Source (document and section or Schedule B item no.) | Status (open / in progress / done / unknown) | Notes.
   
   Sort by due date, with items that have no fixed date grouped at the end under 'Before closing, date not fixed'. Mark status 'unknown' for everything unless I tell you otherwise. In Notes, flag missing information (a missing exhibit, an unidentified responsible party, a date marked [VERIFY date math]). Add rows for any recording or transfer-tax requirements as [VERIFY for JURISDICTION] rather than stating what they are. Keep each row to one action.

   What you get: A single sorted checklist you can paste into your matter file or tracker. Update status as items come in and re-run the status email from it.

5. 5

   Draft the status email for the client and transaction team

   Generate a short update listing open items, owners and upcoming deadlines. Keep it factual and adjust the level of detail for the client versus other counsel and the title company.

   PromptCopy

   Draft a short status email from me to [RECIPIENTS: client / client, lender, title officer and opposing counsel]. Use the checklist as updated below.
   
   <document title="Updated checklist">
   [PASTE CHECKLIST WITH CURRENT STATUS]
   </document>
   
   Structure: one-line summary of where the transaction stands; 'Next deadlines' (the next three to five dated items with date and owner); 'Open items by party' (grouped list); 'Needed from you' for the recipient. Keep it under 250 words, plain and neutral. Do not include our client's negotiating position, legal analysis or internal notes if the email is going to anyone outside our client. Mark any date still flagged [VERIFY date math] so I resolve it before sending.

   What you get: A concise update you can send after one read-through. Confirm that nothing privileged or strategic goes to recipients outside the client.

6. 6

   Attorney review of dates and title items

   Verify every computed date against the executed agreement and its counting rules, read every recorded document behind the exceptions, and confirm recording, transfer-tax and closing requirements for [JURISDICTION]. Claude organizes; the decisions on objections, extensions and closing readiness are yours.

   What you get: A checklist with every date confirmed, title objections decided after reading the underlying documents, and local requirements verified. Calendar the confirmed dates in your own system.

Example Output

Illustrative example — names, facts, and figures are fictional.

CLOSING CHECKLIST (ILLUSTRATIVE / FICTIONAL)
Matter: Purchase of 410 Harbor Point Drive by Coastline Medical Partners LLC from Selden Realty Trust. We represent the buyer. Effective date: March 3. Target closing: May 15.

# | Item | Responsible | Due date | Source | Status | Notes
1 | Seller delivers rent roll, leases and service contracts | Seller | March 13 | PSA Sec. 4.1 ("within ten (10) days after the Effective Date") | Unknown | [VERIFY date math]: PSA silent on calendar vs business days
2 | Title and survey objections due | Buyer's counsel | April 2 | PSA Sec. 5.2 | Unknown | Must review recorded docs for exceptions 6 and 9 first
3 | Due diligence period expires; termination notice deadline | Buyer | April 17 | PSA Sec. 6.1 ("forty-five (45) days") | Unknown | Counted as calendar days; Sec. 1.4 rolls a deadline falling on a non-Business Day to the next Business Day [VERIFY date math]. Time is of the essence (Sec. 17.3)
4 | Financing contingency expires | Buyer | April 30 | PSA Sec. 7.1 as amended by First Amendment Sec. 2 | Unknown | Original date April 17; amended
5 | Satisfy existing mortgage of record; payoff letter | Seller | Before closing | Commitment Sch. B-I Req. 4 | Unknown | Payoff letter not yet requested
6 | Evidence of buyer LLC authority | Buyer's counsel | Before closing | Commitment Sch. B-I Req. 2 | Unknown | Operating agreement and resolution needed
7 | Access easement recorded at Book [__] Page [__] | Buyer's counsel | Before April 2 | Commitment Sch. B-II Exc. 6 | Unknown | Review document: may affect planned parking layout
8 | Recording and transfer-tax requirements | Title / counsel | Before closing | [VERIFY for JURISDICTION] | Unknown | Confirm allocation per PSA Sec. 9.2

DRAFT: for attorney review. All dates to be verified against the executed agreement.

Tips

• •Paste the amendments with the agreement. Amendments that extend due diligence or financing periods are common, and a checklist built from the original contract alone will carry the wrong dates.
• •Make Claude quote the agreement's definition of 'business day' and its weekend and holiday rule. If there is no such rule, the [VERIFY date math] flag tells you exactly which dates need a second look.
• •Do not decide title objections from the exception text. Pull and read each recorded document behind an exception that touches the client's intended use before the objection deadline.
• •Keep the checklist in the same conversation as you update status, then regenerate the status email from the current version. That keeps owners and dates consistent across updates.
• •Leave recording and transfer-tax rules as [VERIFY for JURISDICTION]. They vary by state and county, and the title company can confirm local requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Prompts used in this workflow

Related Reading

• Claude AI for Real Estate: Contracts, Title & Closing
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• Extract Every Deadline From a Contract or Court Order
• Real Estate Law Practice