Selling your house can be overwhelming if you have never sold a house before. There are so many steps involved in the home sale process that the more knowledge and information you have, the more successful you will be at selling your house fast and with the minimal problems possible. A house selling process is divided into phases, and each phase includes some steps that must be completed before moving to the next stage. Like previously mentioned, selling your house can be tiring and confusing, but with proper preparation, you will find that selling your property can be made simple.
The Home Pre-Sale Phase
The pre-sale phase is when you start considering selling your home until you set up a meeting with your real estate agent. This phase will be important as the idea of selling your home becomes a reality. The most critical steps in this phase are:
- Finding Out Your Home Price: This is something you should do from the beginning, even before you get together with an agent. Some great websites are Zillow or Realtor. Just search sold houses in the last six months that are similar to yours in your neighborhood. Also, it is essential to find out the payoff of your loan, so you can decide the minimum you would like to get for your home.
- Preparing Your House: After looking at the prices and you have decided to sell your home, then is time to get your home looking good for the real estate agent. Many people worry about this part after meeting their agent, but the truth is, by showing your agent the best your home can look, your agent will go for the best price to list your home.
- Hiring a Real Estate Agent: Hiring a real estate agent to sell your home has many advantages and benefits. A real estate agent has the education and experience you need, he or she will take care of the listing and marketing your home, he or she will help to choose the most substantial offer, he or she will assist you with the negotiations, and he or she will help with the showing of your house. An excellent way to select a good agent is by asking for references, considering his or her experience, and the methods of marketing he or she will be using.
The Home Selling Phase
Once you have decided on which real estate agent you will hire, then the selling phase begins. You will sign a contract between you and your agent and your agent will start the process of selling your home. The main steps in the selling phase are:
- Listing Your House: Your real estate agent will take of the listing and marketing of your home. He or she will also do some showings of your property and even open houses. During this phase, you must leave a spare key with your agent who will install a security box on your front door for other agents to be able to show your house.
- Maintaining Your House Appearance: It is crucial during this phase that you keep your home as attractive as possible. It requires you to pay special attention to cleanliness, the appearance of walls and flooring, the curb appeal, and odors.
- Accepting an Offer: If your house is priced right and has a good impression for the buyers, you will start receiving offers soon. Having a real estate agent will help you significantly with this part because your agent can guide you on accepting the proposal from the buyer that will most likely be approved to buy your home.
The Home Post-Sale Phase
Once you accept the offer or your counteroffer is taken, the post selling phase starts and will include your planning to move out, being available to inspections, cleaning the property and working with escrow.
- Planning to Move Out: Once the house is sold is time to start packing. By now you should have an idea if you are going to rent or buy another property. Check on movers’ prices, choose a storage place just in case your new home is not ready, notify your utility companies, and pack ahead of time.
- Inspections and Repairs: In this phase, it is essential to be available for inspections and repair requests from the buyer. Your real estate agent can deal with the buyer's demands; however, if you accept to do some repairs, they must be done as soon as possible.
- Cleaning and Vacating the Property: When you enter the post-sale offer, you are usually given from 30-60 days to move out. It is expected from you to leave the property clean and ready for the buyer to move on or before your move out date.
- Working with Escrow: During this phase, the escrow company will also be contacting you if they need extra documents, or any other information pertinent to the title, bank, taxes, and liens on the property. Once all documents are in place, they will set up a time with you to go in and sign the sale paperwork.
Selling your house is an important step to take in your life. When selling your house for the first time, having advice from professionals can be the smartest thing a first-time home seller can do. If you are in the process of selling your home and are considering buying a new place, or need more information, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you with your real estate questions and also making your plans come true.
References
Weintraub, Elizabeth. (Jul. 12, 2018). Important Steps in the Home Selling Process. The Balance.
Agency Real Estate. (n.d.). The Selling Process. Agency Real Estate.
Silverman, Jacob. (Dec. 6, 2006). How Selling a House Works. HowStuffWorks.