Selling Your Home

Attracting the highest possible value for your home requires proper preparation, effective marketing with a great real estate agent, and expert knowledge of local market conditions. We can help you navigate the process and ensure your experience is as positive as it is successful. Below is a brief overview of the home selling process.

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Evaluating Your Home's Sale Price

The first step to selling your home is to evaluate the home's condition. It will be important to address any cosmetic or functional problems and discuss potential upgrades or improvements that may bring additional value to your sale. Note that some problems may require disclosure to potential buyers. We will discuss the findings and available options to help ensure your home is in the best condition possible for attracting buyers.

Get a Home Evaluation

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Choosing An Asking Price

There are many important factors to consider in determining a competitive list price for your home sale, such as location, condition, age, supply and demand, as well as local market conditions. It will also be valuable to conduct a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) of similar homes that have recently sold in your area and how many sales have taken place. You may also choose to have a professional appraisal of your home conducted in advance. Understanding what the market will pay is a critical part of achieving a successful sale, and all of these factors will help guide your decision to establish a sales price.

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Getting Market Ready

Preparing your home to sell can make a big difference in what a buyer is willing to pay for it. Depending on the condition of the home, there are three key considerations: maintenance and repairs, renovations and upgrades, and staging. Getting market-ready may include a variety of tasks, from reducing clutter and fixing maintenance concerns to updating paint colors, rearranging furniture, and addressing landscaping needs. It may also be advantageous to have the home professionally staged. (If you're foregoing a professional stager, check out our DIY checklist at the bottom of the page.) The focus of this process is to prepare your home to make a great impression and invite the most attractive offers possible.

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Listing Your Home

When the home is ready for market, we will have listing photos taken by a professional photographer. Then your home will be listed on the local MLS and syndicated to area brokerages and real estate agents. Additional advertising methods may also be used to reach the widest audience possible within the target market. Creating a personalized plan to market your home will help attract the interest of the right buyer.

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Home Showings with a Real Estate Agent

Once your home has been listed, home showings will begin. It may also be advantageous to hold an open house. Showings are led by a local real estate agent. Typically, the homeowner is not present for home showings. You will be notified in advance of any appointments, and showings can be scheduled during specific times to avoid inconvenience. Remember: a good real estate agent makes all the difference! You'll work together to create an inviting and welcoming atmosphere for all buyers touring the home.

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Receiving Offers

At this point an offer, or multiple offers, will be made by a buyer. You may accept, counter, or reject. If a counter is made, we will enter a period of negotiation until an agreement is reached by all parties, or you choose to reject the latest counter. Negotiations can involve many factors, including settling on a sale price, concessions, and financing. Once all parties reach an agreement, you will officially be under contract. One step closer to closing!

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Appraisal & Inspection

Once an agreement is reached, the buyer may order a professional pre-sale home inspection and appraisal to evaluate the condition and value of the home. Depending on the results of these reports and appraised value, we may enter another round of negotiations until an agreement is reached by all parties. Depending on the negotiation strategy, you may choose to complete necessary repairs requested by the buyer in order to optimize other negotiation factors.

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Closing!

Closing day! The buyer’s lender will provide final confirmation that they are approved to close, and you will sign all the paperwork required to complete the sale. This process typically takes an hour or two. Once the paperwork is signed by all parties, your title company will wire the net proceeds of the sale to your bank account, and your home will officially be sold!

What's My Home Worth?

Thinking of Selling? Fill out the form below to request a home valuation.

Home Staging Checklist

Data collected by the International Association of Home Staging Professionals about recently-sold properties shows that staging can help you sell your home up to 30 times faster than non-staged comparable homes! In addition, beautiful staging could even increase the sale price by up to 20%. A little extra effort goes a long way! How can you be sure your home will make a good impression and attract buyers? In a nutshell, depersonalizing the space helps potential new owners envision themselves in the home. Below, we've prepared the ultimate home staging checklist to help you maximize your chances of a successful sale.

The Basics

Organize and declutter every room. Keep decorations to a minimum.
Empty the garage, attic & closets as much as possible to maximize the appearance of storage space.
Clean everything. Consider hiring a professional service to conduct a deep clean of the entire home.
Remove personal items and memorabilia, including family photos, trophies and collectables.
Replace dead light bulbs.
Open draperies and blinds to increase natural light.
Ensure all doors, cabinets & windows open and close properly.

Living Areas

Remove unnecessary furniture to create as much walkable area as possible.
Use lamps to increase brightness.
Thoroughly clean the fireplace and replace old screens.
Use coordinated accessories to create coherence.

The Kitchen

Clear countertops except for a few thoughtful, decorative items.
Empty cabinets and drawers and remove dishes, flatware and cookware that don't match.
Clean all appliances, including the inside of the oven, microwave and refrigerator.
Clean and organize the pantry to maximize space.
Empty trash cans and move them out of sight.
Remove coupons, magnets and photographs from the refrigerator.

Bathrooms

Scrub every surface, including hard-to-reach areas behind the sink and toilet.
Remove personal products like medicine & hygiene supplies..
Replace old shower curtains and bath mats.
Use vinegar to remove hard water stains and clean shower heads.
Use neutral-colored towels and washcloths.
Check the condition of caulk and grout and repair as needed.
Deodorize with baking soda and avoid overpowering chemicals like bleach.

Bedrooms

Remove clothing and coat hangers from closets to maximize space..
Store jewelry and other valuables in a safe location.
Depersonalize by removing unneeded decorations.
Remove video game consoles and standing electronics, especially those with exposed cords.
Replace floral prints and other feminine or masculine items with gender-neutral alternatives.

Walls, Windows & Doors

Remove personal items like family portraits.
Patch any holes and consider a fresh coat of paint where needed.
Replace missing or damaged outlet covers.
Wash windows, inside and out.
Repair or replace damaged screens.
Consider repainting bold and gender-specific colors with bright, neutral alternatives.

Exterior

Power-wash the home exterior, driveway, and porch areas.
Clean the mailbox or replace it if necessary.
Weed beds and trim back trees and shrubs. Consider fresh mulch.
Store lawn equipment and children’s toys out of site.
Replace any bulbs around the exterior of the home.

Pets

Remove pet hair from furniture and all surfaces.
Consider special cleaning products to remove pet stains.
Remove beds, toys, food bowls and other per items.
Be sure pets are not present for showings.

Pro-Tips

Consider a fresh coat of paint on older cabinets.
Use high-adhesion primer and an epoxy based paint to freshen up dated tile.
Open windows and use candles to create an inviting aroma.
Use mirrors to increase the appearance of space and brighten dark areas.
Avoid cooking odorous foods on showing days.