The process of selling your home can seem intimidating and opaque, especially if you’ve never done it before. Even though you went through the buying process when you purchased the property, being on the other side has its own set of considerations. Your home is a huge investment, and I want to make sure that you realize as much profit as possible when you sell! A big part of my role as your Realtor® is making sure that you understand and are comfortable with the process – that you feel informed and in control at each step. This is Part 1 of a 4 part series on the home selling process - read on for the first few steps!
Part 1:
You’ve decided you want to sell your property - but where do you start?
The best place to start is a listing consultation with your trusted real estate agent! I like to discuss all of the things that made your house a home - why you originally bought it, what you love about it, and what changes you’d make if you were going to stay. We’ll talk about your timeline and motivations for selling, and I’ll set some expectations about price range, showings, and preparing your home to list!
One thing we’ll discuss is any potential fixes or updates needed to bring your home to show-ready condition. Small things like touching up paint, cleaning up landscaping, replacing a torn window screen, or repairing a dripping faucet can make a big impact! If you need help finding a plumber, painter, or handyman to help with these, I’m can refer you to some fantastic folks.
In addition to taking care of touch-ups, we want to make sure that your home is clean and uncluttered. If we are working together, my suite of professional services includes the following:
Professional cleaning. I will bring in cleaners to clean your house top to bottom in order to get it show-ready!
Staging consultation. I provide a consult with a professional stager, who provides guidance on decluttering, furniture placement, decor elements, lighting, and more. If you are still living in the home, this will utilize your existing furniture. If the home is vacant, we can look into a full or partial stage with rented furniture.
Staging is a big deal! If you’re still living in the home, it’s important to de-personalize the space, allowing potential buyers to envision themselves there. Decluttering also has a big impact - if the home feels like it’s too small for you, buyers may have the same impression. If the home is vacant, staging goes a long way toward making it feel both warm and pulled together. Staging spaces like the living room and at least one bedroom can help buyers see how it can be arranged and what can fit.
According to the National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging 2019, 83% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.
Photography. In a world where the majority of buyers find their next home online (52%, according to the 2020 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers), beautiful listing photos are an absolute MUST. Think about it: a buyer’s first contact with your property is likely to be from a quick glance at a photo or two on Zillow or Redfin. You want them to see the best parts of the home, staged well and photographed professionally, so that they want to schedule a showing! If the property is large or unique, on acreage, or is near a desirable landmark or location, we may want to do additional photography and videography, including drone footage, video walkthroughs or tours, or 3D floorplans.
You can perform a pre-listing inspection! Pro: you know what a potential buyer may object to during the inspection period, and you can address some of the issues before you list. Con: now you have knowledge of any issues - and you have to disclose that to a potential buyer. My preference is not to do one, and if there are any issues, they can be part of the negotiation.
If your property is in a Common Interest Community (CIC) or HOA, I’ll start the process of touching base with them to get information on dues, assessments, fees, and any restrictions on signage on or access to the property.
If you’re curious about how much you stand to earn from the sale of your home, these first few steps are where I research your home’s value (based on recent sales). I can also send you a Seller’s Net Sheet, where you can see the fees and costs to you as the seller, as well as your estimated net proceeds upon sale.
Up next: getting your property on the market + getting people in the door for showings!
This has been steps 1 and 2 of the selling process! If you have any specific questions, please contact me and let’s talk it through – I would love to be a resource for you.
You can also peek at the whole timeline below:
