Under Contract to Closing: San Antonio Seller Timeline

What happens after you accept an offer on your San Antonio home?

Once you sign a contract in San Antonio, the transaction moves through several distinct phases: an option period where the buyer can walk away for any reason, inspections and negotiations, an appraisal, title work handled by a local title company, and a closing appointment where you sign the deed and receive your proceeds. The whole process typically takes 30–45 days from contract to funding, though cash deals and lender timelines can shift that window.

The San Antonio Seller Timeline, Phase by Phase

Every contract is different, but here's the sequence I walk my sellers through every single time. Knowing what's coming next keeps the process from feeling like a black box.

Days 1–3: Contract Execution and Earnest Money

The clock starts the moment both parties sign. The buyer has a short window, typically 2–3 business days per the contract terms, to deliver earnest money to the title company. In San Antonio, most closings are handled by local title companies such as Chicago Title, Alamo Title, or Stewart Title, among others. No specific title company is required by county rule; the parties choose one, and it's named in the contract.

This is also when the title company opens the file and begins its title search, pulling the chain of ownership on your property through the Bexar County Clerk's Office. That search confirms you have clear title to convey.

You'll also need to deliver the Seller's Disclosure Notice early in this phase. Texas Property Code § 5.008 requires sellers of covered residential property to provide a written disclosure notice to the buyer. The current TREC disclosure form is prepared in accordance with § 5.008(b) and applies to contracts entered into on or after September 1, 2023. Get this done immediately, it's not something to sit on.

Days 1–10 (or longer): The Option Period

Texas residential contracts include an option period, a negotiated window (commonly 5–10 days, though it varies) during which the buyer pays a non-refundable option fee in exchange for the unrestricted right to terminate the contract for any reason. As the seller, you stay bound to the deal during this time, the buyer is the one with the exit door.

This is when the buyer schedules their home inspection. Depending on what the inspector finds, you may receive a repair amendment or a request for a concession. You can agree, counter, or decline. If you decline and the buyer still wants out, they can terminate before the option period expires and get their earnest money back. After the option period ends without termination, the buyer's earnest money becomes harder to recover, their exit options narrow significantly.

I tell my sellers going in: the option period negotiation is often the most emotionally charged part of the whole transaction. Having a clear sense of what you're willing to address, and what you're not, before that repair request lands in your inbox makes the response much smoother. If you want to think through your strategy before you're even under contract, getting your house ready to sell is a good place to start.

Days 10–21: Appraisal

If the buyer is financing the purchase, their lender will order an appraisal after the option period closes. The appraiser schedules a visit to the property, evaluates comparable sales, and delivers a value opinion to the lender.

If the appraisal comes in at or above the contract price, this step is essentially a non-event and the file moves forward. If it comes in low, you're back at the negotiating table. The buyer can make up the gap in cash, you can reduce the price, or you can split the difference. If you can't agree, the buyer may have the right to terminate and recover their earnest money, depending on the appraisal contingency language in the contract.

According to Texas Public Radio's reporting on SABOR's July 2026 data, the San Antonio-area median home price rose 2% year over year to $315,000, with more than 3,300 homes sold that month. A market moving modestly upward generally supports appraisals, but it's not a guarantee, appraisers work from closed sales, which can lag the current market by weeks.

Days 10–30: Title Work Running in the Background

While the appraisal is underway, the title company is doing its own work. The title search confirms ownership history, identifies any liens, judgments, or encumbrances that need to be resolved before closing. Common items that surface include old mortgages that weren't properly released, unpaid HOA balances, or contractor liens.

None of these are necessarily deal-killers, but they need to be addressed. Your title company coordinates payoffs with lienholders and prepares the title commitment, which outlines what will be insured and what exceptions apply. This is one of the most important documents in the transaction, and most sellers never read it, I make sure mine do.

For a deeper look at what the financial side of closing looks like for sellers, the San Antonio seller closing costs breakdown walks through the cost categories in detail.

Days 25–35: Lender Underwriting and Clear to Close

On financed deals, the buyer's lender is simultaneously underwriting the loan. The file goes through processing, underwriting, and final approval. The lender issues a Clear to Close (CTC) once all conditions are satisfied. This is the green light the title company needs to schedule the closing appointment and prepare final documents.

As the seller, you're mostly waiting during this phase. Stay responsive, if the title company or your agent needs a document, a payoff authorization, or a signature, delays on your end push the closing date. I keep my sellers updated throughout so nobody is surprised by a last-minute request.

Days 30–45: Closing Day

Closing in Texas is a table closing: you and the buyer (often separately) go to the title company, sign documents, and the title company handles the rest. As the seller, your signing appointment is usually shorter than the buyer's, you're primarily signing the deed, the settlement statement, and a handful of other transfer documents.

The title company records the deed with the Bexar County Clerk's Office after closing. Per Bexar County's FAQ, the original deed is normally given to the buyer after closing. Recording fees in Bexar County run $25 for the first page and $4 for each additional page, the title company handles submitting the documents and those fees as part of the closing process.

Once the deed records, Bexar County says the record is typically available online within 1–2 business days. So closing day and the day you appear in public records as the former owner aren't always the same calendar day.

When Do You Actually Get Paid?

This is the question every seller asks. Your proceeds are wired after the deed records, in most Bexar County closings, that means same-day or next-business-day funding. The title company disburses your net proceeds by wire transfer to the account you designate. Confirm your wire instructions directly with the title company and be alert to wire fraud: always verify account details by phone using a number you independently confirmed, not one from an email.

What Can Slow This Down (and What Keeps It on Track)

The most common delays I see in San Antonio transactions are lender-side underwriting conditions, title issues that require curative work (old liens, estate situations, missing releases), and repair negotiations that drag past the option period. A buyer who's slow getting their appraisal scheduled can also compress the back half of the timeline significantly.

On the seller side, the biggest thing you control is responsiveness. When the title company needs a payoff authorization or your agent needs a signature, a same-day response keeps everything moving. Delays on your end are the easiest ones to avoid.

The market context matters too. San Antonio-area sales rose 5% year over year in July 2026, which signals a healthy transaction volume. More sales activity generally means busier title companies and appraisers, so scheduling lead times can stretch. Building a few days of buffer into your closing date expectation is always smart.

Your specific timeline depends on your buyer's financing type, the title company's workload, and what comes up during inspections and the title search. That's exactly the kind of thing I map out with my sellers before we go to market, so there are no surprises once you're under contract.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it usually take to close on a house in San Antonio after the contract is signed?

Most San Antonio transactions close in 30–45 days from contract execution, though cash deals can close faster (sometimes in 2–3 weeks) and some financed deals run longer if underwriting or title issues arise. Your contract will specify a target closing date, and both parties work toward that date from day one.

What happens during the option period in a Texas home sale?

The option period is a negotiated window, typically 5–10 days, during which the buyer pays a non-refundable option fee for the unrestricted right to terminate the contract. During this time the buyer conducts inspections and may request repairs or concessions. Once the option period expires without termination, the buyer's ability to walk away and recover their earnest money becomes much more limited.

Does the Seller's Disclosure Notice have to be delivered before the option period ends?

Texas Property Code § 5.008 requires the seller to deliver the disclosure notice to the buyer, and it's standard practice to deliver it at or shortly after contract execution, well before the option period ends. The buyer has the right to terminate and receive a refund of their earnest money if the notice isn't delivered as required, so getting it done immediately protects you as the seller.

What does a title company do between contract and closing in San Antonio?

The title company opens the file, conducts a title search through the Bexar County Clerk's records, identifies any liens or encumbrances that need to be resolved, issues a title commitment, coordinates payoffs, prepares closing documents, and ultimately records the deed after closing. They're the neutral third party managing the money and paperwork from contract to funding.

When does the seller get their money after closing in Bexar County?

Proceeds are disbursed after the deed records with the Bexar County Clerk's Office. In most cases, that means same-day or next-business-day wire transfer to the account you designate at closing. Always confirm your wire instructions directly with the title company by phone, wire fraud targeting real estate closings is a real and active threat.

How long does it take for the deed to show up in Bexar County records after closing?

Bexar County states that recorded documents are typically available online within 1–2 business days after filing. So if you close on a Friday, your deed may not appear in the public record until the following Tuesday. The closing itself is complete once documents are signed and funds are disbursed, the public record update follows shortly after.

Understanding the full timeline from accepted offer to funded proceeds puts you in control of the process instead of just reacting to it. If you're preparing to sell and want a clear picture of what your specific transaction would look like, I'm happy to walk through it with you.

Ready to talk through your timeline? Schedule a consultation with Tara and the Medina Realty Group, we'll map out exactly what to expect from contract to closing for your home.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Tara Medina is a licensed real estate agent in Texas, regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). This article is general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific costs, timelines, and obligations with your attorney, tax advisor, lender, or closing officer.