Decide To Sell / Work With A Realtor
Whether you're changing jobs in another city, or looking to upgrade to a bigger house, selling your home is a big decision and requires some planning. Getting the most money for your house requires skill, experience, and an understanding of the current real estate market. Your Realtor will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) which involves a survey of homes that are on the market, or have recently sold, that are similar to yours. Once you have determined the selling price, you will complete the listing paperwork. This will include the listing agreement and the property and agency disclosures.

Prepare Your Home For Showing & Open Houses
When selling your home, you want to make sure that your house is in its best possible showing condition. Some sellers have a tendency to want to go over board with improvements or renovations. On the other hand you have some sellers who know their homes need some work, but feel that their house will sell for top dollar in spite of it's current appearance. By working with your Realtor, you will be able to find that perfect median on what work should be done and what doesn't need to be done. Also talk to your Realtor about professionally "staging" your home to maximize its appeal.

One thing you should strongly consider is conducting inspections before you put your property on the market. These inspections should include a general property inspection, as well as a pest/termite inspection. The reasoning is that you want to know if there are any problems with the house before a potential buyer knows about them. That way you can address those problems before the house goes on the market.

Market / Showing Your Home
The goal in marketing your home is to get your house in front of as many qualified buyers as possible. Your Realtor should use a mix of traditional marketing techniques such as newspaper advertising, broker tours, and open houses. Additionally, they should use state-of-the-art marketing items such as Internet marketing.

Also, your Realtor will be showing your property through private showings, and or through open house tours. Other agents, or private parties, will be contacting your Realtor about viewing your home. When you initially signed the listing agreement, you should have discussed with your Realtor how the property was going to be shown, whether through scheduled appointment, or having it available via a lock box, it is important that your home be available for potential buyers to see. Remember that a house that can't be seen easily, is probably a house that won't be sold easily.

Having an Open House is a great way of attracting potential buyers. The open house is typically held on the weekend, and runs from two to four hours. Your Realtor will be at your house the entire duration of the open house to highlight the features of your home and answer any potential questions.

Visit the Marketing Your Home section of the site to learn about the tools we use to effectively sell your home.

Review & Accept Offers
The goal is to get an offer, if not multiple ones, for your home. Once you do get an offer, it is important that both you and your Realtor review and analyze all aspects of it. It will be your Realtor's job to present an offer to you in a clear manner and that you are aware of all terms and conditions. If you receive multiple offers, your Realtor should help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each one in relation to each other. Also remember, that you can accept an offer, reject it, or present a counter-offer. Your Realtor will negotiate on your behalf to ensure you get the best possible price possible with the most favorable terms.

Escrow / Inspection Process
Congratulations on accepting an offer for the purchase of your home. Now it is time to open escrow. The escrow, or title, company will oversee the transfer of title from the seller to the buyer, and the transfer of funds from the buyer's lender to the seller and other involved parties.

Also during this time the buyer will be conducting their own inspections. These will include the appraisal, property, and termite inspections. If they are satisfied with these inspections they will remove the inspection contingencies within a specified date. If problems arise from the inspections it may be necessary to re-negotiate the terms of the sale. However, if you had done inspections before the house was put on the market, you would have already addressed any potential problems.

Click here to download the Life of An Escrow information sheet.

Closing
Before the actual closing date the buyers will typically perform a final walk-through to make sure the home is in the same condition as when they first saw it. The escrow/title company will have specific duties to ensure a smooth closing. They will determine tax and interest pro-rations, prepare the closing paperwork, and arrange for the buyers and sellers to sign the closing paperwork. They will also record the necessary paperwork (deed, etc.) in the county recorder's office. Once the transaction has closed, the escrow/title company will disburse the funds to the appropriate parties.

Please visit the Seller Closing Costs page to get an understanding of typical closing costs.