Choose a listing agent. This is the person who will represent you and have a fiduciary responsibility to look out for your best interest.- Get your home ready for sale. Start by cleaning, decluttering and improving your curb appeal. Hire a professional stager to stage your home or ask your agent for help in staging. Also, be sure to make any necessary repairs.
- Figure out how much your home is worth. Don't make the mistake over over pricing your home. Price your home in line with recently sold homes that have the same features as yours. Also consider whether your market is cold, hot or neutral and price accordingly.
- Market your home. Sit down with your agent and agree on an advertising/marketing plan to sell your house. Be sure to take quality pictures and make them available for buyers to see.
- Show your home. Keep in mind you will probably get more showings if you let your agent use a 'lockbox' rather than have to make appointments. Selling in the spring rather than winter will showcase your home better and ask potential buyers for feedback so you can adjust your price, conditions or marketing campaigns accordingly.
- Receive purchase offers and negotiate. Make sure your potential buyer follows the correct procedures for writing a purchase offer. Even if an offer comes in low, negotiate by issuing a counter offer. Don't be afraid to make a full-price counter offer if you are priced competitively and prepare yourself for multiple offers if you are priced right.
- Open escrow / order title. Your agent or transaction coordinator will open escrow and order a title policy for you. Write down contact information for the closing agent and select a date to close based on when the buyer's loan will go through.
- Schedule an appraiser appointment. Clean your house the day before the appraiser is set to arrive and if an appraisal comes through low, ask your agent about alternatives.
- Cooperate with home inspection. Ask your agent to provide you with a home inspection checklist so you can prepare yourself.
- Deliver seller disclosures. All homes in the US are subject to lead-based disclosures. Disclose any material facts you are aware of.
- Negotiate requests for repair. A seller does not necessarily need to accept a buyer's request for repair, but keep in mind that a buyer can generally cancel their offer then. If you choose not to make repairs, a buyer may request a closing cost credit instead.
- Sign the title / escrow documents. This may happen shortly after opening escrow or near the closing.
- Close escrow. Your property deed, re-conveyance and deed of trust will record in public records and Title will notify you and your agent when it records. Depending on what is specified in the contract, you may be required to move on the day it closes.
Information provided by About.com.
Although every seller's experience is going to vary person to person, the overall process of selling a home will stay the same.
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