Real estate, sorted by the job.
The SI tools and plain-English checklists that get a deal from search to keys, with vendor pricing and sources.
Tools by job
marks tools where more than one party can see a deal's documents, tasks, or timeline.
Buy and search
Zillow
Search homes for sale, see Zestimate value estimates, and save searches with alerts.
Best for: Starting a home search and setting alerts.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Free for buyers and sellers browsing. source
Realtor.com
Search listings, open houses, and neighborhood info.
Best for: A second listing source with open house times.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Free for buyers and sellers browsing. source
Sell, list, and market
Virtual Staging AI
Upload an empty-room photo and get furnished, staged versions.
Best for: Making vacant listings look lived in. Label staged photos as virtually staged.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Not confirmed today (the vendor page blocked our check); see the vendor's pricing page. source
Sizing and floor plans
CubiCasa
Scan a home with a phone and get a 2D or 3D floor plan with room dimensions and total area.
Best for: Fast floor plans for listings.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Per-scan packages (Lite, Standard, Plus, and Plus 3D); first floor plan free; per-scan prices are shown in the app. source
Comps and valuation
Redfin Estimate
An automated home value estimate plus recent nearby sales.
Best for: A quick ballpark before a real CMA from an agent.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Free. source
Contracts and forms
zipForm / Transact (Lone Wolf)
Fill TREC and Texas REALTORS forms, then send them for e-signature.
Best for: Texas agents who need current TREC and TXR forms.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Included for Texas REALTORS members (agent edition); broker-level features cost extra. source
E-sign
DocuSign for Real Estate
Send contracts and disclosures for e-signature with an audit trail.
Best for: Agents who just need reliable e-signatures.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Real Estate Starter $10/user/mo billed annually (5 envelopes/mo); Real Estate $25/user/mo billed annually; monthly billing costs more. source
Transaction management
Dotloop
One shared 'loop' per deal for forms, e-signatures, documents, and tasks.
Best for: Forms, e-sign, and a shared deal file in one place.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Premium $34.99/mo or $344/yr per agent; Teams and Business+ by quote. source
SkySlope
Brokerage transaction management, compliance review, forms, and e-sign.
Best for: Brokerages that review every file for compliance.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Brokerage Suite from $340/mo; agent pricing by quote. source
Brokermint
Brokerage back office: transactions, commissions, and accounting.
Best for: Brokers tracking commissions alongside deals.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Standard and Professional plans; pricing by request. source
Open To Close
Deal timelines, tasks, automated emails, and free agent and client portals.
Best for: Coordinators who want clients to see progress.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Grow $99/mo, Pro $199/mo, Scale $399/mo (1 user each; extra users $69/mo), per third-party price check; free trial. source
ListedKit
An SI assistant (Ava) reads the contract, builds the timeline, and drafts updates; pipelines can be shared with your team.
Best for: Pay-per-deal coordination with no monthly fee.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): $14.99 per transaction credit (first free; bulk down to $11); Ava Sign $29.99/user/mo. source
Public records and chain of title
PropStream
Property data: owners, sales history, and comps; deed and mortgage documents $5 each.
Best for: Pulling property history and comps fast.
Pricing (as shown 2026-10-15): Essentials $99/mo, Pro $199/mo, Elite $699/mo; annual billing is lower. source
Title, surveys, and county records (no app needed)
Texas title premium rates (TDI)
Texas sets title insurance premiums by policy amount, so every title company charges the same basic premium.
As shown 2026-10-15: rates effective March 1, 2026; for example, $780 for a $100,000 policy. source
T-47 Residential Real Property Affidavit
The seller swears the existing survey still matches the property; T-47.1 is the unsworn declaration version. Hire a licensed surveyor when a new survey is needed.
Cost: free form. source
County clerk and appraisal district
Deeds, liens, and plats are recorded with the county clerk; ownership and tax values are on the county appraisal district site. The title company runs the full chain-of-title search.
Closing checklists, in plain English
Typical steps, in order. Your contract controls the real deadlines.
Buyer steps
| # | Step | Who does it | Texas note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Get pre-approved and set a budget, including closing costs. | Buyer, lender | |
| 2 | Hire a buyer's agent and sign the buyer representation agreement. | Buyer, buyer rep | Texas REALTORS use a written buyer representation agreement. |
| 3 | Search, tour, and pick a home; review comps before offering. | Buyer, buyer rep | |
| 4 | Make an offer on the state contract form and negotiate. | Buyer rep, seller rep | Most Texas resale homes use the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale). |
| 5 | Deliver earnest money and the option fee after the contract is signed. | Buyer, title | The option fee buys an option period: a set number of days to end the contract for any reason. Deadlines are in the contract; ask your agent. |
| 6 | Do inspections and negotiate repairs during the option period. | Buyer, buyer rep, inspector | After the option period ends, the right to terminate for any reason is gone. |
| 7 | Apply for the loan, then the appraisal is ordered. | Buyer, lender | |
| 8 | Review the title commitment and exception documents; object in writing if needed. | Buyer, buyer rep, title | The contract sets deadlines for delivering and objecting to the title commitment. |
| 9 | Review the survey, or the existing survey with a T-47 affidavit (T-47.1 declaration). | Buyer, title, surveyor | A seller may provide an existing survey plus a T-47 affidavit if nothing has changed; the title company decides whether it accepts it. |
| 10 | Get homeowner's insurance and loan approval (clear to close). | Buyer, lender | |
| 11 | Review the Closing Disclosure at least 3 business days before closing. | Buyer, lender | |
| 12 | Final walk-through, then wire funds only after calling the title company at a number you already know. | Buyer, buyer rep, title | Wire fraud is common: verify wiring instructions by phone. |
| 13 | Sign at closing, funding happens, and you get the keys. | Buyer, title, lender |
Seller steps
| # | Step | Who does it | Texas note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pick a listing agent and sign the listing agreement. | Seller, seller rep | |
| 2 | Price with comps and a CMA. | Seller rep | |
| 3 | Fill out the seller's disclosure notice. | Seller | Texas requires a seller's disclosure for most resale homes (TREC or TXR form). |
| 4 | Prep the home: photos, floor plan, and staging. | Seller, seller rep | |
| 5 | Find your existing survey; if nothing changed, plan to sign a T-47 affidavit. | Seller, title | If the title company won't accept the old survey, a new one may be needed; the contract says who pays. |
| 6 | Review and negotiate offers. | Seller, seller rep, buyer rep | |
| 7 | Open title: the contract goes to the title company, and the title search begins. | Seller rep, title | In Texas the seller typically provides the owner's title policy (it's negotiable in the contract). Premiums are set by the state (TDI). |
| 8 | Handle repair requests made during the option period. | Seller, seller rep | |
| 9 | Clear title issues: payoffs, liens, and HOA documents. | Seller, title | |
| 10 | Review the settlement statement and sign the closing documents. | Seller, title | |
| 11 | Hand over keys, cancel utilities and insurance after funding. | Seller, seller rep |