If you are selling a home in Philadelphia, your Agreement of Sale probably says the house will be "broom-clean" at settlement. The sources we read do not define that term, and that gap is where sellers end up with the wrong amount of work: either a last-night scramble to scrub everything, or a swept floor and a surprise at the final walk-through. This guide covers PAR's account of the form, how a mover's practical definition differs from a full move-out clean, when to book the clean around the settlement date, and illustrative fallback cost estimates for a Move-in / Move-out clean.
We are a cleaning company, not a lawyer or a real estate professional, and nothing here is legal advice. The account of the form and the attributed quotations come from the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors' post on pre-settlement walk-throughs, and the practical definition comes from an explainer from LiteMovers; we read both on October 17, 2026. Cost examples use dated fallback display estimates; checklist lines come from our published pages. For what your own Agreement requires, ask your agent or a real estate attorney and read the signed document.
How PAR describes the Agreement of Sale
The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors describes the standard Agreement for the Sale of Real Estate (the ASR) in its post, written by Paige Perrucci and published September 26, 2025. In PAR's account of paragraph 4(G), the seller must provide possession "free of all debris", with trash and yard waste as examples, and all structures broom-clean at the day and time of settlement. This is PAR's explanation, including the debris examples, rather than a verbatim contract clause. We have not verified the current form's text directly.
Two things stand out in PAR's account. It places the handoff at settlement, not at listing or at the last showing. Its explanation gives examples of debris (trash, yard waste) but does not define broom-clean. We found no definition of it in the sources we read, so we do not offer one as the contract's.
The two walk-throughs, and the timing problem
The buyer gets a look before closing. Paragraph 12(A)(2), as the same post quotes it: "Buyer may make two pre-settlement walk-through inspections of the property for the limited purpose of determining that the condition of the property is as required by this agreement and any addenda." The post adds that "Buyer's right to these inspections is not waived by any other provision of this agreement."
The timing is the part sellers miss. The post says "Buyers don't always do their last pre-settlement walkthrough on or right before the settlement date," and recommends the seller have the property broom-clean "a bit before the settlement date, if possible" "to avoid any potential issues that could arise." Put together: the walk-through may happen before you have finished moving, so a house that is only ready on settlement morning can be seen in a worse state first.
Broom-clean versus a move-out clean
Since the sources we read do not define broom-clean, here is how one Pennsylvania moving company describes it, set next to what our Move-in / Move-out checklist covers. The left column is that company's description, not the contract. The right column is the published list for our Move-in / Move-out tier (read October 17, 2026).
| Area | One mover's description of broom-clean | Our Move-in / Move-out checklist |
|---|---|---|
| Belongings and trash | "empty of all belongings and trash" | Not a cleaning task: the home needs to be empty before the clean |
| Floors | "Hard floors swept or vacuumed" | "Floors Swept / Mopped / Vacuumed" |
| Surfaces | "visible surfaces wiped down" | "Wipe Down Door Handles and Light Switches" |
| Oven | Listed as not required ("cleaned-out ovens") | "Clean Interior & Exterior of Oven" |
| Refrigerator | Not mentioned | "Clean Inside of Refrigerator (must be clear)" |
| Cabinets | Not mentioned | "Clean Inside Cabinets (must be clear)" |
| Windows | Listed as not required ("spotless windows") | "Clean Interior Windows (6 max)" |
| Baseboards | Not mentioned | "Spot-Clean Baseboards (30-Mins)" |
The mover's page calls broom-clean "a standard, not a deep clean," saying it "means leaving the home empty of all belongings and trash, with floors swept and surfaces wiped," "though not deep-cleaned." Those are the mover's words, not the form's. The practical reading is that a broom-clean home is empty, free of debris and swept. A move-out clean is a choice that goes past it.
One thing in the table matters for planning: the checklist lines for the refrigerator and cabinets say "(must be clear)," so empty them before the visit.
Do you need to book a move-out clean?
PAR's account describes a broom-clean handoff. Nothing we read says a move-out clean is required, and we do not claim that booking one satisfies the contract or ends a buyer's right to object at a walk-through. Whether to go further is your decision. Reasons to consider it:
- You will be handing over keys and will not be at the house for the last hours.
- Settlement falls the same week as the move, which leaves little time to clean an empty house after the truck leaves.
- You would rather have the oven, refrigerator and cabinet interiors done than check them yourself.
- You want a record: photos and a written summary of the finished clean are "available on request" on our move cleaning page.
Reasons you might not: you are staying until settlement and plan to sweep and clear the house yourself, or the contract standard is all you need. Either is a reasonable choice.
When to book it
The move cleaning page frames the job in one line: "Share the unit and handoff date so the clean can be coordinated around the point when the home is empty and ready." That is the order: belongings out first, then the clean, then the final walk-through. A cleaner cannot work around a full house, and the PAR advice above says to leave a gap before settlement in case the buyer looks early.
- Know your dates. Settlement date, move date, and any walk-through the buyer has scheduled.
- Clear the house. Furniture, boxes and trash out of every room. Walk the basement, the attic, the back yard and wherever the trash goes, since PAR's account uses trash and yard waste as debris examples.
- Empty the refrigerator and cabinets if you want their interiors cleaned.
- Book for after the last box is out and, if you can, a bit before settlement, in line with PAR's "a bit before the settlement date, if possible."
- Share access. Our move cleaning page says that if you will not be at the unit, contact Hometress before the visit to confirm the access details and make sure the empty home is ready.
We do not promise a specific day. Availability depends on the calendar, so book as soon as you know your settlement date.
What a move-in / move-out clean costs
These are illustrative fallback estimates dated October 17, 2026, before tax. Each example assumes a one-time Move-in / Move-out clean with no add-ons. The size adjustment shown is included in the estimate. These are backup display estimates, not a quote for your booking; check your home's total in booking. Our Philadelphia cleaning cost page and the line-by-line price breakdown show how a size becomes a price.
| Home | Size band | Size adjustment (included) | Illustrative fallback estimate (before tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bed, 1 bath home | cozy | $0.00 | $340.00 |
| 2 bed, 1 bath home | cozy | $0.00 | $350.00 |
| 3 bed, 1.5 bath rowhome | spacious | $30.00 | $395.00 |
| 4 bed, 2.5 bath home | large | $60.00 | $450.00 |
Our move-in and move-out checklist has the full list of what the visit covers. Tipping is never required or expected, according to our FAQ.
If a buyer's walk-through finds a problem
In the passage quoted by PAR, the buyer's walk-through is for "determining that the condition of the property is as required by this agreement," and the agreement is where the requirement lives. If a buyer raises an issue, take it to the person who prepared your contract. For our own work, the White Glove Guarantee page says to tell us within 48 hours and we'll make it right.
Questions sellers ask
Is a move-out clean the same as broom-clean?
No. Broom-clean appears in PAR's account, and the sources we read do not define it. A move-out clean is a deeper, optional service, with the checklist lines shown above.
Does booking a move-out clean satisfy the Agreement of Sale?
We do not say it does. The contract is between you and the buyer; read your Agreement and ask your agent or attorney.
Do I need to be home?
Not necessarily. Share the access details before the visit, as above.
Can I get proof of the clean?
Photos and a written summary are available on request.
Your next step
Settlement date first, then the clean around it. When you have the date, book a move-in / move-out clean and you see your total before you pay. Nothing is charged at booking; your card is saved when you book. We currently clean in Philadelphia.