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Step 1 Make Sure You re Ready To Sell Your House Preparation is key to a successful sale Therefore the first thing you should do to ensure you re ready to sell your house is take a thorough look at your current circumstances from a financial emotional and practical perspective Gauge Your Finances Take a look at your current mortgage bill or other mortgage documents to find out what you owe your lender Make sure to include any second mortgage or line of credit you might have as well Use our home value estimator to get an idea of what your home is worth and then subtract what you owe to get a rough idea of your equity Once you officially decide to sell your home a real estate agent will be able to perform a comparative market analysis to give you a realistic idea of what your home is worth in today s market Decide If You Should Sell Your Home Or Buy A New One First A big part of the decision to sell your current home is figuring out when you should buy your next home There s no right or wrong answer for whether you should buy or sell first Some people prefer to sell first so that they don t have to carry two mortgages at a time Others don t like the idea of being homeless which could be hard to avoid if you sell before you buy If you re open to doing either one first look at your current housing market If you re in a buyer s market there s a better chance that a seller will accept an offer on their home that s contingent on the sale of your current home If you re in a seller s market homeowners will be far less likely to accept a contingency that forces them to wait around While you can always try to sell your current home and purchase a new one at the same time it can be a challenging endeavor

Determine If You re Emotionally Ready To Sell Emotions play a big role in selling a home After all your home is most likely the place where you and your family have created many happy memories However nostalgia can often get in the way of a successful home sale If you can prepare yourself ahead of time you ll have a much smoother experience from start to finish Step 2 Sell Your House With A Real Estate Agent Finding a great real estate agent to help you through the home selling process is critical We ll help you set the right price for your home help negotiate offers and walk you through every step We ll be there to give you expert advice make sure that your interests are always protected and help you get the best price for your home Consider The Benefits Of Selling With An Agent Enlisting the help of Brian and Linda with your home search is extremely beneficial Here are some of the key benefits A Higher Selling Price Real estate agents tend to get more for your house than you would on your own So much more that even after paying their commissions it s very likely you will take home more money at closing They get more by marketing your home on the multiple listing service incentivizing other agents to bring buyers commissioning professional photos and implementing a number of other marketing strategies including everything from online advertising to good oldfashioned phone calls In addition Brian and Linda will deploy honed negotiating skills throughout the process to make sure you re getting as much for your home as possible Legal Documents Contracts can be messy but good agents can clean things up Brian and Linda will do everything they can to make things go smoothly but they also prepare clients for how handle transactions if things get rough Deals can go south quickly for a variety of reasons The offer negotiating details inspection appraisal financing and so much more all have steps that can become complicated Having a professional who has been through it before is invaluable

Marketing REALTORS and real estate agents absorb the cost of many things into their commission Paid online advertising professional photos staffing for showings and open houses printing flyers and other promotional materials and a litany of other costs too numerous to list Choose The Right Agent How do you find the right agent We recommend working with a member of the National Association of REALTORS who holds the designation of Certified Residential Specialist CRS Beyond that you ll want an agent who knows your area inside and out and is willing to work around your schedule Brian has many designations including CRS ABR GRI e PRO CNS and a Brokers License Both Brian and Linda have been in the business locally since 2003 Step 3 Set The Right Price Now comes a critical step in the home selling process setting the right price Understand Home Value Both appraisers and real estate agents will base their price opinions on comparable sales They ideally look at sales that occurred within the last 3 6 months in your neighborhood When looking for comparable sales they look at several factors including the home s condition age square footage location factor and the number of bedrooms and baths The sale date is also important since it will reflect the most recent changes in your market Typically an important the most important thing with real estate is location feature to concentrate on is the number of bedrooms and baths This usually plays a bigger role in valuation than square footage For example a two bedroom home in a neighborhood of predominantly three bedroom homes will almost always sell at a discount despite the number of square feet If most homes in the neighborhood have a certain feature like a finished basement the absence of that feature will also drop the price

Brian will perform a comparative market analysis based on all of the factors above to recommend a price that is right for your home Explore Housing Market Trends Pricing is the linchpin to a successful home sale If you set the price too high you run the risk of turning off potential buyers Many won t even consider seeing a house in a desired location if it s priced above what the market might suggest An over inflated price also means your house will not compare favorably with other similarly priced homes Even worse buyers may not even see your home when they search online since they will be using lower price points Resist The Urge To Overprice The temptation to overprice is strong Almost everyone believes their home is the exception and will fetch more than similar houses But that is rarely if ever the case Buyers today are savvy Chances are anyone who looks at your house with or without an agent has spent time both online and offline scoping out properties Most buyers and real estate agents will know right away if a property is overpriced An over inflated price means your house will be competing against homes that have more amenities or features such as bedrooms and baths square footage or a better location This is the main reason homes sit on the market for months with the price usually coming down to where it should have been from day one Brian will help you find the sweet spot for your home price based on your specific current market conditions Once you decide on a price you re ready to prep your home to officially hit the market Step 4 Prepare Yourself And Your Home To Sell There are a lot of details to take care of before you list your home and show it to prospective buyers To help you prepare yourself and your home check out these tips Prepare Yourself

Some might think repairing improving and staging your home is at the top of the to do list However preparing yourself psychologically to deal with ups and downs of moving is really the first step If you aren t ready your emotions can prevent you from selling Many sellers are surprised by the emotions that surface as they pack up and say goodbye to their homes It helps to focus on the end goal finding the right buyer and closing the deal Think of the process as selling a house not your home It will become easier to look at your property objectively as you remove personal items and start staging to attract buyers When you start showing your home potential buyers and their agents may be overly critical Try your best to react to those types of comments in a neutral fashion Plus Brian can use those insights as negotiating tactics or to improve your listing Repair And Replace This is the time to fix all those little items that you ve had on your to do list for years Have a latch that doesn t work a leaky toilet or a faulty electrical outlet It might seem small but potential buyers may see them as a sign that the home hasn t been properly maintained This means more work for them if they buy it Having an inspector is a great way to help determine what should be repaired or replaced In addition it can help reduce the buyer wanting to renegotiate during the deal To help determine is a prelist inspection is right for your click here There is a big difference between making minor and inexpensive polishes and touch ups to your house and doing extensive and costly renovations Be careful about how much money you spend Buyers will be impressed by a brand new roof but they aren t likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it However there are some home renovations buyers will love you can make to help increase your selling price Declutter And Clean Decluttering helps to minimize or eliminate distractions that could otherwise take a buyer s focus away from the things that really matter Toss or sell anything you aren t planning on taking with you Clear out closets Overstuffed closets send a signal to buyers that the house might not have enough storage

Garages most basements storage areas and laundry rooms all need similar treatment Don t forget about your lawn too Curb appeal is important Cleaning is critical after you have finished decluttering your home inside and out Really scrub and polish every single area from top to bottom removing dust and dirt in every crevice Don t forget to look up too Remove cobwebs and dust moldings replace burntout light bulbs dust existing bulbs and polish light fixtures Doing a thorough job ahead of time will make keeping the house in show ready shape a breeze later Stage Your Home One of the most powerful ways to make buyers want to purchase your home is to stage it like a pro It can be as simple as cleaning removing extraneous items and repainting Or it can require a clean sweep that involves storing belongings off site redecorating and even renting furniture and art to make your place show well Staging helps potential buyers envision your house as theirs To do that they need to see the details Your goal in staging is to think like a buyer to help sell your home and entice them to linger in each room so they can absorb its features and see its benefits Consider the view from the doorways How can you encourage visitors to step in each room A small scenario often works such as an arrangement of an easy chair and lamp that is partly visible from the door Use fresh flowers that are visible from the door to entice visitors to enter the room Make sure seating is arranged so it s open to visitors not with backs to them which can discourage them from entering the room If your furniture is badly outdated or worn consider storing it and bringing in a few bright clean rental pieces Step 5 Market And Show Your Home Once you ve prepared your home to sell Brian and Linda will start working on marketing your home to buyers This involves working with you to get photographs of your home creating a detailed home listing that highlights your home s best features posting your home online and more

Market Your Home Brian and Linda will use a variety of tactics to get buyers exposed to and interested in your home Some of the primary things your agent will do are outlined below Home Listing Before your home officially hits the market Brian and Linda will create your online profile This includes all the details about your home for buyers to see A well crafted online profile can really make your home stand out from the crowd Multiple Listing Service This is a private database used by licensed agents to find homes for buyers Brian and Linda will get your home listing on the MLS and syndicated to all the popular home search websites Yard Sign Brian will make sure you have a visible sign in your front yard to let potential buyers know that your home is for sale It s a great way to attract house hunters out actively looking in your neighborhood Flyers And Direct Mail Brian and Linda may create property flyers to market your home These flyers can be attached to a yard sign or left at open houses and showings to highlight the key information about your property It s a great way to stay top of mind with interested buyers Video Tours Brian and Linda create video tours of your home to allow buyers to see what your home has to offer before they visit your home in person Remember your home s first showing is online so it s critical to make the best impression possible Social Media Brian and Linda will share your property on their social media pages and with their network of buyer s agents and other professionals This is a great way to generate a lot of additional exposure for your property Prepare For Home Showings And Open Houses If every space isn t sparkling clean again or have a professional come in The key to readying your house for showings is all the deep cleaning which you ve already done and advance planning to make it easier to keep it buyer ready day to day Here are some things that can help you stay prepared Keep Children And Pets Out Of Sight Make care arrangements for children and pets ahead of time for showings and open houses If possible have someone watch your children preferably off the premises If you are unable to have your pets off the property

consider crating them Then they won t be in the way and there won t be a chance that someone will inadvertently let them out the door Better yet set up a secure corner or space for their crates Dress it up with new bedding and a few toys in coordinating colors Be sure water bowls are sparkling If necessary buy new ones and yes make sure they blend with the color scheme Keep It Neat And Tidy If you don t have a place to keep dirty laundry decide ahead of time where you ll stash your gym clothes or your child s soccer uniform Decide where you can keep toiletries out of sight during showings If you can purchase a new set of towels for each bathroom and only bring them out when buyers are coming through or for an open house Right before a showing give fixtures and faucets a quick once over to renew the shine Make sure counters and sinks are clean Be sure the view from any doorway is attractive especially powder rooms and small bathrooms since some buyers might not actually go into the room Make sure what they can see is bright and appealing Don t forget what s reflected in the mirror too Brighten It Up Make sure to open the shades and turn on the lights even during the day before a showing General advice is to make everything light and bright but also let common sense be your guide If the lights in your kitchen can be as bright as an operating room you might want to bring them down a bit Step 6 Negotiate And Accept An Offer When selling a home negotiating is by far one of the most important things in the process Brian will serve as your expert negotiator and will work on your behalf to make sure your best interests are represented Remember Brian and Linda have plenty of motivation to help you sell your home too Their livelihood and reputation depend on getting their clients what they want Have Realistic Expectations Whenever you re in a negotiating situation it helps to remain flexible and open This includes maintaining realistic expectations It s rare that you ll get everything you want while negotiating Think about what you re willing to give up and what are absolute deal breakers

Be honest and upfront about any damage or flaws a buyer may point out about your house Discuss these problems and let the buyer know they re welcome to have any perceived damage or defect inspected at their own cost if it s a major concern If there is indeed a problem you can offer to reduce your asking price to help offset the cost of repairs Think Twice Before Rejecting A Low Offer There is always the chance that you ll receive a low offer Here are some things you can do to make the most of the situation Don t take it personally This can make you look weak in the negotiation process Try to understand the buyer s motivation You may learn something important even if you ultimately reject the offer Make a counteroffer Consider the buyer s position and work with Brian to find a middle ground by reducing your asking price or explain how you arrived at your current asking price Negotiate other terms to counterbalance a low offer There are things that can be done to work with a low offer For example seller concessions home warranties closing dates post closing occupancy or quick closing occupancy might help The longer it takes to sell your home the less likely you are to receive your asking price The longer you have to drag out the process the longer you ll pay the mortgage It might be worth your while to talk to Brian about accepting the deal if you ve been on the market a while The negotiating part of the process can be tricky but with an experienced agent by your side you ll be set up for success Step 7 Understand The Road To Closing

Congratulations you accepted an offer on your home Now what Before you do anything take a moment to savor that signed purchase agreement It s a major milestone But it also means you have a new set of tasks ahead of you Read on to learn about the final steps to get you to a successful home sale Prepare For The Appraisal And Inspection Two of the biggest steps to closing on a house are the appriasal and the inspection An appraisal is an estimate of the fair market value of a home typically ordered by a buyer s lender during the mortgage loan process This means a licensed appraiser will evaluate your home s value based on things like age condition upgrades location and the surrounding housing market The purpose is to let a lender know the proper loan amount to provide If an appraisal comes in below the sale price a buyer and seller may need to renegotiate to cover the difference A home inspection is ordered by the home buyer to evaluate the structure and systems of a home from the roof to the foundation It covers things like the home s heating system air conditioning plumbing electrical systems windows doors ceilings and floors The main purpose is to find out if any major repairs are needed in which case you may need to cover the cost Brian will recommend having a pre inspection completed before putting the home on the market This allows the seller to identify and address any potential issues prior to putting the home on the market Additionally any issue identified will be considered a pre existing condition Click here for more inspection info So how do you prepare for these home evaluations Ensure easy access to all areas of your home basement crawlspaces attics and utility rooms and take care of the little things that could raise bigger questions Replace burnt out light bulbs which could point to potential electrical problems Eliminate slow drains with any of your sinks to remove doubts about the plumbing Change your furnace air filter and be sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working Negotiate Repairs

The purpose of a home inspection is to identify major defects in your home that would require a major investment of time or money If there s an inspection contingency in your purchase agreement that means the buyer can sometimes negotiate repairs based on the findings of their home inspector or potentially cancel the contract Keep that in mind if the home buyer comes to you with their list of issues Resist agreeing to fix all cosmetic issues like cracked tiles or loose doorknobs as these are minor inconveniences that a buyer could have easily seen when touring the home Major defects you should address include mold electrical issues lead paint or leaking roofs the types of issues that will require major investments of time or money Get Your Paperwork In Order You ve already filled out two of the most important forms to sell your home the listing agreement and purchase agreement As you move through the closing process Brian and the title company will work with you to provide additional paperwork to reach the finish line Here are some of the most common documents you ll need Title Work This when the title company or attorneys review title work to confirm no additional liens or encumbrances confirm taxes and assessments are paid and prepare the deed and documents for closing Property taxes Have your most recent tax statement ready which will give the buyer an idea of what they ll need to pay after purchasing your home Loan documents Gather paperwork on your first mortgage and second mortgage or home equity lines of credit if applicable Property survey This is usually ordered by the buyer It shows the boundaries of your property and where fences driveways and other structures are located You probably received this when you bought your home If not try checking with your lender or title company who may have a copy If all else fails you might need to contact a local engineering firm to produce a new one Plans and permits If you ve done any work on your home like additions or upgrades you ll probably need to show documentation that proves everything was above board

Homeowners insurance information Make sure you have the documents that detail your current policy for the home and be sure not to cancel your policy until after closing After the terms of your purchase agreement have been met and all the loan paperwork is ready the title company will fill out and deliver a settlement statement This form details all transfers of money It s important for you and Brian to review this statement before your closing day when you ll sign all the final documents Close With Confidence On the day of your closing make sure you bring your photo ID Typically a dew days prior to the close you ll sign all the paperwork required to transfer ownership of your home These items below are typically included and reflected on the seller s settlement statement If you re making a profit after all expenses are paid off you should receive proceeds at closing If not you should have a cashier s check ready to square your end of the bargain Tie Up Loose Ends After you get through the closing you re almost home free You might feel like you ve been tying up loose ends for a month by now but chances are there a few more details to go Here are some common to dos to get through before you exit your home for the final time Submit a change of address form to the post office Call your homeowners insurance agent to cancel your policy as you may receive a refund for any prepaid premiums Close accounts for things like utilities and newspaper subscriptions Leave appliance manuals receipts warranties security alarm codes etc on the counter Close all the curtains and blinds turn off all the lights and lock all the doors on your way out Once you lock up and head out your home closing to do list should be complete And that means you re ready to start the next chapter of your life free and clear

Step 8 Celebrate Your Sale You officially sold your home Give yourself a pat on the back It s no easy feat and is an accomplishment worth celebrating If you need advice about buying a home we have you covered there too Check out our home buyers rescource to learn more Ready to buy your dream home Find an agent that s right for you Click to view other resources

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