Sellers Checklist

My Goal is to walk you through the steps required to sell a house.

The process is tested and proven over many years and thousands of successful sales.

The list is organized and right to the point. The details surrounding each step are found in the next area “Home Sellers Guide.”

Why do I present you with all this free information? It is because, what goes around comes around. If you decide to list your home for sale with an agent, I hope you will allow me to show you my VIP Seller’s Program (YOU are the VIP). If you sell your home yourself, I congratulate you. All I ask is that you remember me to friends and family who might be looking for a Real Estate Agent.

Let’s Get Started!

#1 You must adopt a business attitude about the process.

You are putting your home in the Real Estate Market Place along with every other home available for sale. You must make rational decisions. Potential buyers are not interested in, or affected by your emotional attachment to your home, they are looking to buy their home.

#2 Plan your Strategy. Determine your wants and needs.

#3 Setting a Price.

This is the most important and most miss-understood step.

A mistake here may result in a delay in selling, not selling at all, and it is the most common cause of a home ultimately selling for less than its true market value.

#4 Determine your Net Proceeds from this sale.

Whatever amount you sell your home for be prepared for a number of costs that will reduce the amount you receive. There are the obvious and expected closing costs, as well as the less obvious costs, and extra expenses you might incur in the selling process.

#5 Prepare your home for sale. “Staging.”

What general repairs and maintenance, improvements, renovations, remodeling, landscaping and simple interior design changes will show your home in its best light? You want to make the improvements that increase the marketability of your home for the least cost to you yet return the maximum value when you set the price of your home

#6 Marketing your home.

You must have a plan specifically tailored to “market” your home. Homes are not sold they must be “marketed” to the entire pool of qualified buyers. In these high tech / internet driven times,- a sign, a flyer, and a classified ad alone no longer work.

#7 Showing your home.

We have “set the stage,” and attracted buyers, now it is time to “show” your home. Availability of the home to be shown is a key factor. Buyers want to see homes at their convenience. Secondly you or your agent only wants to show your home to “qualified” buyers. Only the ones able to buy a home in your price range – now.

#8 Offers.

Must be a legal, written document, binding on the parties, and must state all the terms and conditions of the sale. Almost always skilled negotiation is required at this step. There usually offers and counter-offers all of which should be in writing. The “terms” of the sale are often as important and costly to the seller as the price offered.

#9 The Contract is Finalized.

#10 Between the Contract and Closing

It may take an expert facilitator and transaction coordinator to ensure that all the contingencies and requirements of the contract are completed in the time frame agreed upon, that all necessary inspections are done, and the buyer’s financing is in place.

#11 Closing and Possession

It is important that the contract specify when the buyer may take possession of the property in relation to the closing time and date.

#12 Moving Out

Be sure you have the process of your move organized and ready well in advance of the time for you to leave and the buyer is ready to move in.

For the details involved in each step of this checklist, click on the: "HOMESELLER'S GUIDE BUTTON"