Home Selling Steps

Step One:  Meet with Agent

Your professional real estate agent will meet with you to establish a good rapport and relationship with you.  As your consultant, your agent will guide you through the entire process of selling your home and will put you, the client, first and take personal interest in getting your home sold.

Step Two:  Pricing Strategy

Determine the best competitive asking price for your home.  Your agent will discuss with you about the risks of overpricing and show you a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), which compares your home with the sales prices of recently sold homes and homes currently on the market with similar features to your home in your area.  Your agent will also take into consideration the state of the market and the condition of your home to assist you in setting the listing price.

Step Three:  Marketing Strategy

Your agent will establish a marketing plan with you to expose your home to the most potential buyers.  There are many different ways that he/she will discuss with you to advertise your home.

Step Four:  Getting Your Home Ready for Showings

How your home looks will have an impact with home buyers' first impressions and it may affect how soon you could sell your home and whether or not you could get a fair market value for your property.  Your agent will be able to make suggestions to make your home most appealing.

Step Five:  When an Offer Comes In

You will be advised by your agent when an offer comes in to purchase your home.  Your agent will review the document, which includes items such as the offer price, the seller's contributions toward closing costs, earnest money amount, the financing contingency period, inspection rights, special stipulations, and so forth with you.  Your agent will make sure that your interests are protected.

Step Six:  Negotiating the Offer

Most offers will require a degree of negotiation.  Sometimes it may mean walking a tightrope.  Through intuition, psychology, flexibility and patience, your agent will help you with the negotiations until a meeting of minds could come together.  Some of the items that you may need to negotiate are the sales price, closing costs, repair items, and any contingency items.  Your agent's knowledge on the legalities of the real estate contract will protect your best interest through the negotiations.

Step Seven:  Home Inspections Items

If you have negotiated to make any repairs to your property, find the vendors that you will need.  Your agent could recommend a list of vendors.  Prior to the closing date, a walk-through by the buyer will be set up to confirm that the repairs have been made.

Step Eight:  Pre-Closing Preparation

The closing attorney's office will send a Seller's Pre-Closing Information form in preparation for the closing for you to complete.  This form enables the closing attorney's office to obtain your loan payoff amount and other pertinent information.

Your agent will follow up with the closing attorney's office to check if the closing is proceeding as scheduled and receive your Settlement Statement as soon as possible to review with you.

Step Nine:  Closing

Your agent will be present at the closing to make sure everything goes smoothly.  Should any last minute problems come up, he/she will mediate in order to close.