The Most Common Real Estate Transaction Fires (and How to Prevent Them)

Back when I landed my first job out of college, I thought I was killing it.

We ran in-store marketing campaigns for big-name consumer brands, with tight timelines and way too many people involved. And when something went sideways? I was the one who handled it.

The company failed to send their artwork over by the deadline? Some last minute stores in Arizona needed to be added? I'd step in, smooth things over, and save the day.

I thought that made me good at my job.

What I didn’t realize back then was this - being great at putting out fires doesn’t mean you’re good at your job. It just means there are too many fires.

The real skill is preventing them in the first place.

That lesson stuck with me. Especially in real estate, where every transaction has its fair share of sparks just waiting to catch. If you’re not careful, you end up spending all your time reacting instead of actually building your business.

So here’s a list of the most common fires that derail real estate deals - and how to stop them before they ever start.

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Fire #1: Missed Deadlines

This one burns fast.

Inspection periods, financing contingencies, closing dates - any one of these can blow up a deal if it slips through the cracks. And it’s easier than you think to miss something when you're juggling multiple deals with sticky notes, spreadsheets, or straight-up memory.

The fix? Automate it. A system like Nekst keeps every deadline front and center, sends reminders, and makes sure nothing gets missed when your pipeline fills up.

You don’t need to be the hero who catches a missed deadline at the last minute. You need a system that doesn’t let you miss one at all.

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Fire #2: Incomplete or Incorrect Paperwork

Nothing slows down a deal like missing signatures or outdated forms.

It usually happens when you’re moving too fast. Maybe there’s a last-minute counteroffer, or you’re trying to keep multiple transactions straight in your head. Either way, one small paperwork error can delay a closing or cause a much bigger mess.

The fix is simple - standardize it. Use a checklist that walks you through every document, every time, no matter how routine the deal feels.

With Nekst, you can build custom checklists that flag missing items and track what’s done, what’s still pending, and what needs a second look before anything gets sent out.

Fire #3: Poor Client Communication

You might know what’s happening in the deal - but if your client doesn’t, it feels like nothing is happening at all.

That’s when the emails start. “Any updates?” “Have we heard back?” “Just checking in…”
And once clients start chasing you for answers, it’s already a problem.

The fix? Build communication into your process. Instead of trying to remember to send updates, let your system handle it.

Nekst lets you create automated client updates, shared task lists, and built-in reminders that keep buyers and sellers in the loop without constant back-and-forth. You stay focused, and they stay informed.

Fire #4: Overlooked Contingencies

Tracking a date is one thing. Making sure the actual contingency is cleared? That’s where agents drop the ball.

I learned this the hard way.

When I was a new agent, I found out the day before closing that the buyer still needed another week to get their loan approved. The sellers had already moved out and needed the funds from this deal to close on their next home out of state.

The first question they asked me was, “How are we just finding out about this now?!”

And they were right to ask. I hadn’t verified when the lender started processing the file. I didn’t check for conditional approval. I didn’t confirm we were clear to close.

I was too busy chasing the next deal.

That was a one-time mistake. I’ve never let it happen again.

The fix is to treat contingencies as two-step tasks: track the deadline, and confirm it’s been cleared. That means adding checklist items that go beyond “due date” and force you to follow up.

With Nekst, you can build this right into your workflow. Set reminders, require documentation, and make sure nothing gets assumed or overlooked.

Fire #5: Weak Post-Closing Follow-Up

Once the deal is closed, it’s easy to mentally move on. New leads, new listings, new problems.

But if you’re not staying in touch with past clients, you’re losing future business.

No thank-you note. No check-in a few weeks later. No reminder that you're still their go-to for anything real estate. The file closes, and so does the relationship.

The fix is simple - make follow-up part of the transaction, not an afterthought.

In Nekst, you can schedule post-closing tasks just like everything else. A reminder to send a thank-you message. A follow-up a month later. A note to check in around the one-year mark.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be consistent.

Wrap-Up

Every fire you prevent saves you time, money, and stress. And with the right system behind you, it’s a lot easier to stay ahead of the chaos instead of constantly reacting to it.

Nekst was built for this exact reason - to help agents and transaction coordinators manage the details, avoid the fires, and run a smoother business from contract to close (and beyond).

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