Sell Successfully: 10 Steps to Selling a Home

The average time that a home is on the market is 68 days in the United States.

Depending on the time of year and home, you may have a much longer or shorter listing.

If you want your home to quickly go off of the market, there are simple steps that you can take to begin the process.

Continue reading to discover the 10 steps to selling a home so that you can move on out!

1. Evaluate Your Situation

Many factors come into play when you move into a new home.

One of the most important steps to selling a home is to evaluate your situations to determine your needs. Pay attention to school and work schedules during this planning, moving mid-year may be difficult to deal with change.

Figuring out when to sell your house is also important because not all times of the year are best for sales.

2. Prepare Your Home

After you have decided that you want to sell your home and move out, you will need to prepare it.

Packing and organizing are great ways to reduce clutter and clean the place up. If you want your home to sell, it will need to be clean for walkthroughs. Staging is done by preparing a home to it’s most appealing view.

The better that your home looks, the easier it is or potential buyers to see themselves living there. Another advantage of staging your home for viewings is that it can also increase the value of your home.

3. Get an Appraisal

Once you feel that your home is in the condition that is most beneficial to you, you can get the property appraised.

An appraisal is a process of having an unbiased professional determine the value of a home. Your home’s appraisal will be based on the condition of the home, where it is at, how many rooms, and other factors.

This step is important because it will help ensure that you are not under or over-selling your home. If your appraisal comes in low, it can be a setback. Even in these cases, however, there are many solutions.

4. Find a Listing Agent

Finding a listing agent is an important step to properly selling your home.

Not only will you receive more help and resources for selling, but you will also feel a sense of relief. A listing agent is someone that represents you puts your property up for sale.

They make sure that your home is being marketed and help drive the process of selling. Try looking for an agent that will aid you in determining prices and how to stage the home for potential buyers.

When it comes time to negotiating offers, you can also receive help from your listing agent.

5. Put Your Home on the Market

If you hired a listing agent, you won’t have to worry much about this step.

Your agent should be able to upload your home to selling platforms online and market your home. They will use key selling points about your house to attract attention and potential buyers.

Doing this step independently can produce fewer results. You will need professional photos of your home added to your listing. Many agents offer referrals or have their photographer help with this part.

6. Coordinate Viewings

An agent will help you plan and coordinate viewings for potential buyers.

Using a lockbox or keypad makes it convenient for your agent to show the home without carrying a key. You can talk to your agent about the best times for showing your home so that appointments match up with your schedule.

Try to be flexible with your open times, many people are only able to view in the evenings and on weekends.

7. Review Offers and Negotiate

If all of the steps above have been completed, you are likely dealing with offers for your home.

Avoid ignoring offers that you think are too low, you may be able to negotiate with the buyers. If you aren’t having any bites and no one is interested in the property, you may have to reevaluate prices.

8. Take Care of Financing and Paperwork

After selecting an offer on the home your agent will help finish the transaction.

Opening an escrow and title policy are recommended with your listing agent. This process will help determine the date to close and when the buyers will move in. You will need to hire an appraiser again before closing a sale.

9. Prepare and Close Sale

Before closing the sale you will have to get your home appraised and inspected.

Your agent can help you prepare for the inspection and ensure that your home is up to standards. It is important to focus on your entire room, even attics and basements are evaluated.

As long as everything goes well, you will be able to ask the buyer for contingencies. Make any changes as needed. Next step, you will be signing the title and escrow documentation.

10. Move out

At the closing appointment for your home, you will sign the very final pieces of paperwork.

You should be packed and out of the house at this point. You will hand over your keys at the closing appointment and the deed will go to the new owner’s name. As the sale finalizes you will be directly deposited the money, with fees already taken out.

Moving out and into your new home will begin a new chapter in your life.

Simple Steps to Selling a Home

There are many steps to selling a home that can be forgotten about along the way.

Having a listing agent by your side throughout the process can help keep you on track. From the beginning, they will help you prepare your home, list it on the market, help with inspections and even paperwork!

It is important to keep a flexible schedule to work around viewing and appointments. Don’t forget to keep the house clean and organized, packing can help with messes.

Be sure to check out our blog for more articles on real estate trends and tips for finding a new home!