Selling Your Home in 10 Simple Steps

In this crazy market, selling your home can seem like a hectic and intimidating process. If it’s been a minute since you saw the property or if it’s your first time selling, here are the 10 simple steps for you to expect!

1. Find the Right Real Estate Agent

How do you find the right real estate agent you ask?… as an insider in the real estate industry myself here is what I would be looking for in my real estate agent: well balanced blend of skills, experience, personality fit, and ethics. Make sure you trust that they genuinely have your best interest in mind.

2. Figure Out Your Next Move

Are you going to be buying home after you sell your current one? Do you already know what general area, neighborhood, and type of home that you want? Especially in a sellers market like this where buying is more difficult than selling, figuring out the next move first is crucial. Bonus tip: make sure you have your real estate agent do an off market campaign!

3. Get Your Home Ready for Market

Make sure you consult with your real estate agent on what potential touchups Or renovations would make sense to do before putting the property on the market. Some items are well worth the effort and money and some are not! Feel free to comment below with any questions or reach out to me directly!

4. Launch the Listing Live

You’re ready now for showings! Most likely you’ll have one open house and private showings. Make sure the house is clean and ready so that the first impression of each buyer is maximized.

5. Keep Your Home Show Ready

As I mentioned, first impressions matter and you only get one chance with each buyer. Make it count and put your best foot forward!

6. Negotiate Offers

Since you picked the right agent, prepared the property, and your agent marketed it on an elite level, you’ve received multiple offers! Now is the time for comparing and analyzing offers, but no worries your real estate agent will do all the ground work for you. You’re going to be looking at the offer’s price, terms, and the qualifications of the buyer.

7. Go Under Contract

Congratulations, you’re officially under contract! You chose the best offer and now that buyer will move forward with the purchasing process.

8. Inspection

Now comes the inspection where the buyer will have their inspector do a full check up on the house. If any issues come up that are serious, the buyer may ask you to fix them, such as if the AC unit is not working. Since it is a sellers market currently, the seller has more of the leverage and so buyers are having to accept more and more maintenance with deals. As always, any questions comment them below!

9. Buyer Orders the Appraisal

if the buyer is buying the house with a loan and not with cash, they will now tell their lender to order the appraisal. The appraisal represents the maximum price the lender will loan money on. So for example, if the home appraises for $100,000 and the lender is financing 95% of it, then the maximum amount they will give the buyer for a loan is $95,000. This is where the terms come into play because the contract could be for $125,000. The terms will determine how everything proceeds forward.

10. Moving Out & Closing

It’s time for the closing! The buyer will do the final walk-through and then both the buyer and seller will go to the title company to sign or can do so remotely. After all documents are signed and the deal is funded by the lender, or if it’s a cash deal the money is wired to the title company, the home will officially close and transfer ownership. As the seller you should move all of your things out before closing. Make sure to remove all personal items from your home!

Conor’s Conclusion

The selling process does not have to be complicated or stressful. In this crazy sellers market, it can be overwhelming with the amount of activity your home will get on market and it can be hard to find your next move. If you work with the right agent who has the experience, knowledge, And genuine desire to go the extra mile for you, it can be an easy and stress-free process.

If you’ve been thinking about selling to upgrade, downsize, or move locations, give me a shout via phone, email, or text. I specialize in the Tampa Bay area and no the top agents around the country. I would love to help you out! Have a blessed day!