When you’re preparing to sell your house, your focus is on the beginning of the process: finding the right listing agent, prepping your home for the sale and deciding on the price. But the end of the process—the settlement—is just as important.

In most jurisdictions, the buyers choose the settlement and title insurance providers. But that doesn’t mean the sellers have no role to play in getting the transaction through the closing.

Here are three things home sellers can do that might make for an easier settlement.

1. Request your preferred settlement company. As part of your contract negotiations, you can ask your listing agent to request that the settlement be handled by a company of your choice. Buyers and their agents are sometimes willing to compromise on that point.
2. Consider a separate closing. If your buyers want to stick with their preferred settlement company, but you want to use a different settlement provider, you can have what’s called a split settlement. That means that your settlement company can take care of your side of the transaction, while the buyers’ settlement firm handles their side.
3. Be prepared for possible paperwork. While it’s the job of the title services company to examine the ownership history of your property, if any questions arise about past work, you could be asked for answers. Providing prompt responses and related documentation could help eliminate issues that may slow your settlement.

As always, your real estate agent and settlement provider can answer any questions you may have about these items and your closing. If you’re working with one of the settlement partners at Long & Foster Settlement Services and an agent from Long & Foster Real Estate, you’ll benefit from their teams’ close collaboration—Long & Foster’s settlement providers are conveniently located at over 65 locations in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions—and their expert teams, who’ll guide you through every step of the home-selling process.