The contract will state and the practice is that the property is the responsibility of the seller until closing, and the responsibility of the buyer after.
So it is important that you maintain it in the condition it was in at the time of the sale, right until closing.
But what happens if something goes wrong in that intermediate interval? The basement floods. A tap snaps off. The house burns down.
Well, in the event of substantial damage such as a fire or major floor, the contract is clear. It states that the buyer has the choice of walking away from the deal or taking the proceeds of your insurance and closing.
For minor things like a tap breaking. Replace it with as close to the same as you canand let your Agent know. And something more serious, like sudden leaky basement, you’ll need to do whatever is necessary to rectify the problem.
In all cases you’ll want to let your Agent know. And they can advise you as to whether the Buyer Agent needs to be informed. Keep in mind, that while most people are reasonable, nobody likes surprises that they learn about after the fact from the neighbour next door.
It sounds far-fetched I know, but it happens with some frequency. It doesn’t have to be a problem provided it is addressed properly.
This isn’t by any means meant to be an exhaustive guide to home selling. Hopefully it gives you some idea of what to expect. And hopefully it helps you understand howessential a good Agent is to help make selling your home a successful and happy event.