6 Steps to Selling a House

What you don’t know can cost you time and money when it comes to selling a house. If you misjudge the correct asking price, your home could end up sitting on the market without a nibble. If you don’t stage your property correctly, you won’t catch the attention of potential buyers. Let’s take a closer look at the 6 steps to selling a house before you list your home for sale.

You’ve come to the right place for finding a real estate agent who would love to work with you on selling your property. We’ll help you by providing a comprehensive home value report that takes into account the current market trends, recently sold homes in the area, and any upgrades you’ve made to your home. We’ll discuss our marketing strategies and develop a plan to successfully market your listing so that it reaches as many potential home buyers as possible. We’ll be with you every step of the way!

You wouldn’t show up at a fancy-dress party wearing torn jeans. Similarly, you want your home to be properly dressed for success. Begin outside with curb appeal. Your goal is to make the outside look so appealing that buyers can’t wait to see the inside of your home. Make sure your yard is free of debris and all flowerbeds have fresh bedding. Consider power washing your home or applying a fresh coat of paint if that is needed. Brightly colored doors are inviting. Place any outdoor furniture in conversational settings.

Once inside your home, focus on making the most of the space you have by removing oversized furniture and moving living room furniture away from walls. Kitchens get a lot of attention. You want to organize your cabinets and pantry, make sure your table is the proper size for the space, and remove all personal photos and magnets from the appliances. If you feel that staging is something you need help with, speak to your real estate agent for tips.

Start by getting a good idea of the value of your property by using an online home valuation estimator. Input some basic information and get an initial valuation. We’ll be able to give you a more comprehensive value based on other factors, but the home value calculator is a good place to start.

Once we have your comprehensive report completed, you’ll want to set an asking price that makes sense for the area and potential buyers. You want the highest return on your investment, but you’ll want to be realistic. Set a price that isn’t too high or too low.

One of the best days of the home selling process is when you receive your first offer. Your real estate agent receives all offers and passes them along to you. Once you receive an offer you have three choices. You can accept the offer as it is and move forward. You can decline the offer and wait for another offer to arrive. Or, you can send back a counteroffer to see if the buyer is willing to negotiate. We’ll go to the negotiating table to represent your interest and come back with their response.

Accepting an offer moves things to the next step in the home selling process. The buyer’s lender will order an appraisal and whatever inspections are needed. In most cases, you will not need to be on hand for these procedures, but you may have the choice to be present. Check with your real estate agent to see what the standard is for the area.

If the inspections or appraisal come back with issues, you’ll need to head back to the negotiations table to adjust the contract or discuss ways to fix any problems. Again, your real estate agent will be there to help you handle any things that pop up.

After the inspections are complete and the final paperwork is ready, representatives of both parties will meet to sign any needed paperwork and exchange funds that are due. You may not need to be present for this meeting. Your real estate agent will let you know if you’re needed. Once the paperwork is signed and money is paid, the buyer will be given the keys to the house, unless other arrangements have been made for delaying the release of the property.