Who coordinates the closing on a Tampa Bay cash sale?

People often think a real estate closing is a single event run by a single person. It isn't. It's a small relay race between four roles, and Florida cash sales have one quirk that makes them simpler than most: no attorney is required. That changes the cast of characters and trims about a week off the timeline. Here's exactly who does what on a Tampa Bay cash sale.

The four players are the title company, the buyer's transaction coordinator, you, and (sometimes, optionally) an attorney. Most of the work happens behind the scenes at a Hillsborough or Pinellas title office. You won't hear from most of these people until it's time to sign.

The title company: the engine

The title company is the central hub of every Florida real estate closing. They are a neutral third party licensed by the state that does five jobs:

1. Title search. They pull 30 to 50 years of public records on the property to find liens, encumbrances, easements, or ownership disputes. This is the work that takes the longest and the part most people don't realize exists.
2. Title insurance. Once title is clean, they issue a policy that protects the new owner against anything that might surface later. The premium gets paid at closing.
3. Document prep. They draft the warranty deed, settlement statement (HUD-1 / Closing Disclosure), affidavit of title, and 20 other forms.
4. Escrow. They hold the buyer's earnest money deposit and, on closing day, the buyer's full purchase wire. Nothing moves until the docs are signed.
5. Disbursement and recording. They wire your net proceeds, pay off any mortgages and liens, and file the deed at the county courthouse the same day.

In Tampa Bay we work with title companies in Tampa, Brandon, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. They're licensed by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and bonded. If anything goes wrong with the closing, they're the ones with the insurance policy that covers it.

The buyer's transaction coordinator (TC): your day-to-day

The TC is the person on our team who runs your file. They are not a real estate agent. Their job is to make sure paperwork moves on time and you never have to chase anyone down. From the day you sign the contract, the TC is the one who:

• Sends the contract to the title company
• Requests payoff letters from your mortgage lender and any lien holders
• Schedules your closing date and time around your calendar
• Books the mobile notary if you're not coming to the office
• Texts you reminders, sends you the prelim HUD to review, and answers questions on demand

If you remember one phone number from the day you sign to the day you close, it's the TC's. They're the project manager. They keep you informed without asking you to do anything you don't have to.

You: the seller

Here's the short list of what you actually do between contract and wire:

• Provide your mortgage lender info. The TC needs to request a payoff. You'll sign an authorization form.
• Provide ID. Driver's license or passport at signing.
• Show up and sign. One hour at the title company, or 20 minutes with a mobile notary at your kitchen table.
• Move out by the agreed-upon date. Most of our deals include a free post-close occupancy period if you need extra time.

That's the whole list. You will not be called by your mortgage lender. You will not be asked to call the county. You will not have to find a lawyer. The title company and the TC handle all of it.

An attorney: optional, almost never required

This is the one that surprises out-of-state sellers most. Florida is a "title state," which means real estate closings are handled by licensed title agents instead of lawyers. About 20 states work this way. The other 30 (think New York, Georgia, Massachusetts) require an attorney to attend or run the closing.

You can absolutely hire a Florida real estate attorney to review the contract, sit at the closing table with you, or answer questions. Some sellers do, especially on inherited properties, deals with multiple heirs, or properties tied up in probate. It typically costs $500 to $1,500. We don't push back on it; we welcome it. But it's optional.

If you want a deeper read on the full process, the complete Tampa Bay cash sale guide walks through every step from address submission to wire. And if you're wondering what specifically lands on your closing statement and who pays for what, we broke down the line items here.

The walk-through is separate from the closing

One small clarification because people mix these up. The walk-through happens before the contract gets signed. The closing happens at the end. The walk-through is the buyer pricing the rehab. The closing is the legal transfer. Here's what we look at on the walk-through if you haven't read that one yet.

Frequently asked questions