The full definition
A transaction coordinator in Texas is the operational layer of a residential real estate transaction. The agent represents the buyer or seller fiduciarily — negotiating offers, advising on terms, recommending vendors. The TC takes the executed contract and runs everything that happens after that signature: deadline tracking, document collection, party communication, and closing logistics.
The TC is not a license role under the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). A TC can be a licensed real estate agent operating under their broker, an unlicensed assistant performing ministerial tasks, or — increasingly — an AI tool like Dossie. The legal scope of what each can do differs.
What a Texas TC does, by phase
Phase 1: Contract execution to title open
- Receive the executed contract and all addenda.
- Confirm the Effective Date in writing per TREC ¶ 8.
- Open the file with the chosen title company.
- Calculate every TREC deadline — option period (¶ 5B), earnest money (¶ 5A), option fee (¶ 5A), title commitment (¶ 6A), survey (¶ 6C), financing (TPFA 40-11), closing (¶ 9A) — applying ¶ 23 weekend/holiday rollover where applicable, and explicitly NOT applying it to the option period.
- Send the buyer a deadline summary.
Phase 2: Option period and inspections
- Confirm earnest money and option fee delivery in writing (escrow receipt).
- Schedule inspections; coordinate access with the listing side.
- If repairs are negotiated, draft TREC Form 39-9 (Amendment to Contract) and route for signatures before the option expires.
- If terminating during option, deliver TREC Form 38-8 (Notice of Buyer's Termination of Contract) before 5:00 PM on the option-expiry day.
Phase 3: Title, survey, and financing
- Receive title commitment from the title company; route to buyer for review.
- Track the buyer's title-objection deadline (¶ 6D).
- Coordinate survey delivery (new survey or T-47 affidavit reuse under ¶ 6C).
- Pull weekly status updates from the lender and surface any slippage before the financing deadline.
Phase 4: Pre-closing and closing day
- Confirm closing date, time, and location with the title company.
- Schedule and accompany the buyer to the final walk-through.
- Verify all contracted repairs are completed and documented.
- Coordinate funding logistics (wire vs cashier's check, timing).
Phase 5: Post-closing
- Confirm earnest money disbursement and final closing statement.
- Send the client a closed-deal package (closing disclosure, deed copy, title policy).
- Add the client to the agent's past-client follow-up cadence.
What a TC cannot do under Texas law
Whether licensed or unlicensed, a Texas TC cannot:
- Negotiate price, terms, or repairs on behalf of a party (that's the agent's fiduciary role).
- Provide legal advice on contract interpretation (that's an attorney).
- Hold themselves out as the agent in any communication.
- Sign contract documents on the agent's or client's behalf.
Cost of a Texas transaction coordinator
| Model | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance per-file | $300-$700 per closing | 10-30 deals/year |
| Monthly retainer | $1,500-$3,500/month | 20-50 deals/year |
| In-house employee | $45K-$60K salary + overhead | 80+ deals/year |
| AI (Dossie) | $29/month founding | Any volume |
For most Texas agents, the right answer is a hybrid: AI handling the always-on deadline tracking and follow-up drafting, plus a freelance or in-house human TC for the high-touch hands-on work (closing-day attendance, complicated negotiations, nervous-buyer handholding).