Seller's Guide

A Step-by-Step Seller's Guide

Putting your home on the market can be stressful, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced agent and this easy-to-follow guide, you can complete the process smoothly. Following these steps will help you prepare, get organized, and sell your home for the best possible price.
couple talking

Step 1: Understand Why You're Selling

What do you want to accomplish with the sale of your home? Do you want to earn a certain amount of money to put toward a larger or nicer home? Do you need to sell it as soon as possible to facilitate a move to a new city or area? Once you understand your needs, you can craft your offer more effectively. For example, if you need to sell quickly, you might price your home lower than if your goal is to achieve a specific profit margin. Make sure you convey these needs to your REALTOR.

person inspecting gutters

Step 3: Start Preparations

If you've kept your home in showroom condition since you've lived in it, you're in the minority of homeowners. Once you price your home, it's time to start getting it ready to be shown to potential buyers. This includes getting rid of clutter, depersonalizing the space so that buyers can envision themselves in the space, making any small repairs, and doing a deep clean to make sure your home is in pristine condition.

magnifying glass looking at house cutouts

Step 5: Evaluate Offers

Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn't mean the journey is over. We will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is prequalified or pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. If the offer is too low, you can make a counteroffer or offer other ways to bridge the gap, such as covering some or all of the closing costs, making repairs, adjusting the move-in date, or leaving some appliances or fixtures for the new buyer.

signing paperwork

Step 6: Accept an Offer

Once we deem the offer is acceptable, we will review the proposed contract to make sure it's all in order and includes the necessary components such as deposit amount, down payment, financing, inspection rights and repair allowances, contingencies, settlement date, and a list of fees and who will pay them. When both parties have agreed to the term, a final contract will be prepared by your agent.

Man doing an Inspection

Step 7: Get Ready to Close

Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn't mean the journey is over. We will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is prequalified or pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. If the offer is too low, you can make a counteroffer or offer other ways to bridge the gap, such as covering some or all of the closing costs, making repairs, adjusting the move-in date, or leaving some appliances or fixtures for the new buyer.

Sold sign

Step 8: Close

You've reached the last step in the seller's process. When you close on a home you are selling, you are legally transferring ownership of the property to the new buyer. We will meet with the company closing the transaction to sign the final paperwork and go over any issues that have not yet been taken care of. During this time, you can also make plans with your REALTOR to handle final details such as canceling utilities, cable, and lawn or trash services, changing the name on accounts that the new owner is retaining and ensuring the new owner has instructions for all appliances that will remain in the home.

Congratulations!

Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.