Before Listing Your Home
Think you're ready to list? Not so fast! Have you checked these items off your to-do list?
2+ Months Out
Find an experienced local real estate agent
Finding the right agent is a critical first step to the home selling process. A good agent can ensure you get the MOST money for your home in the LEAST amount of time... and save you a lot of stress and headache.
6 – 8 Weeks Out
Consider repairs and improvements
Your real estate agent will likely do a walkthrough of your home to make recommendations for repairs and improvements you might want to consider to make your home more saleable. You should also be proactive about taking care of any maintenance issues, as these will likely surface during the home inspection.
4 – 8 Weeks Out
Price it right
If you find the right agent, this step should go off without a hitch! A good agent will be able to analyze local market data, such as recently sold homes to determine a competitive and satisfying price for your home. This is one of the main reasons finding the right agent is so key!
1 – 4 Weeks Out
Get your home ready
This part requires a little elbow grease on your part (or maybe the part of a professional cleaning company). It's time to (literally) make your home shine, from top to bottom and all the little nooks and crannies in between. You may also want to take some time to remove clutter, empty out closets and storage spaces, freshen up old paint, neutralize decor, and spend some time on your landscaping.
Listing Your Home
All right, NOW you're ready to list! Here's what that process will look like for you.
Marketing Your Home
Reach the greatest number of buyers
Here again is where a good real estate agent will really shine. The key to selling a home lies in finding the right buyers, and a good agent will have the tools, the knowledge, and the network to do just this. Marketing includes everything from online listings to featured property blog posts to social media promotion to printed flyers to personal emails, and much more.
Showing Your Home
Let buyers take a tour
Most buyers are going to want to get a good look (or two) before they agree to buy your home. It's a good idea to keep your home clean, organized, and staged, and to be ready to clear out at a moment's notice so potential buyers can some take a look. You want to make sure you home looks its best (to really impress those buyers), and it's better if you're not present, since this can make buyers feel uncomfortable or even pressured.
Dealing with Offers
Negotiate and accept an offer
If a buyer is interested in your home, they'll submit a written Purchase and Sale Agreement for your review. This usually states how much they'll pay, how much they'll put down for earnest money, when they want to close, and any contingencies they request (like a home inspection or buyer financing). You may accept this agreement, reject it, or submit a counter offer with modified numbers, dates, and contingencies. This counter offer is the first step in the negotiation process. Next, the buyer may either accept or counter your offer.
The Closing Process
Congrats! You've found a buyer, negotiated an offer, and now you're ready to move on to the next stage.
Home Inspections & Appraisals
Cooperate with the home inspection
Once you and the buyer have agreed on a price and terms, they'll likely have a home inspector come out to take a careful look at your home. This is why it's always a good idea to take care of maintenance issues before this stage—because if the home inspection reveals any issues, your buyer may request to have you fix the issue, may ask for a credit (extra money so they can fix it themselves) or a price reduction, or may even walk away from the sale entirely. If you fail to meet any of their requirements, the buyer may cancel the contract. Depending on their lender, the buyer may also need to have the home appraised to ensure that its value meets or exceeds the amout of the loan they'll be requiring. If it does not, they may walk away from the sale.
Waiting in Escrow
Wait a bit, gather some paperwork, wait a bit more...
The next step is something of a waiting game. During this time, you and your agent will work with an escrow company (basically, an impartial third party) to organize paperwork and finances while the buyer is taking care of their paperwork and finances (mostly finalizing their loan).
Finally... the Close!
Sign, collect & hand over your keys
On the big day, you and the buyer, your agents, and your legal teams or representatives will sit down and start signing. Once all the paperwork is done, you'll likely get a very large check (less anything left on your mortgage and any closing fees due to your agent, lawyer, and title companies).
Ready to Sell Your Home in Maine or New Hampshire?
The first step is to contact us! From home staging and professional photography to negotiations and closing paperwork, we're here to be your home selling guide, every step of the way. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you successfully list and sell your home in Indianapolis!
Not quite ready to sell? That's okay. We have plenty of tools and resources to help you learn more about selling a home.