HOME SELLERS GUIDE

Have you recently dreamt of a better life? Maybe you’ve thought of moving closer to family, moving out of state, downsizing for retirement, upgrading your home to a larger property, or new neighborhood. If you’ve had any of these desires recently, it’s time for you to seriously consider putting your home up for sale! Now is the ideal time to put your home on the market and sell it – before interest rates increase.

This guide can be a great resource for you during your home sale journey. We’ll share insider tips to ensure your success and guide you through each step of the home selling process. Use it to begin your research, learn about the selling process, and see if it’s the right time for you to sell – so you get the most value out of your home sale.

Please email me at ecline@aol.com if you have any questions!

Table of Contents

Important Contact Information 2
Common Real Estate Terms 3
The Home Selling Timeline 4
1. Choose a Date 5
2. Research the Market 6
3. Hire a Real Estate Agent 7
4. Price Your Home 8
5. Prepare Your Home for Market 9
6. Our Marketing Strategy 11

7. Collect, Evaluate, and Accept an Offer 13

8. Under-contract and Closing 14

9. Move Out 15

10. What Now? 16

Common Real Estate Terms to Know

Appraisal: A document of opinion of property value at a specific point in time.¹
As-is: A contract or offer clause stating that the seller will not repair or correct any problems with the property. Also used in listings and marketing materials.¹
Backup offer: When an offer is accepted contingent on the fall through or voiding of an accepted first offer.¹
Buyer’s agent: The agent who shows the buyer’s property, negotiates the contract, or offer, and works with the buyer to close the transaction.¹
Closing costs: The fees paid at the closing of a real estate transaction.¹
Closing: The end of a transaction where documents are signed, and funds are dispersed.¹
Comparative Market Analysis: A study done by real estate sales agents and brokers using active, pending, and sold comparable properties to estimate a price for a property.¹
Conventional sale: When the property is owned outright and has no mortgage.¹
Days on market (DOM): The # of days a home has been listed on the market.¹
Dual Agency: The representation of opposing principals (buyers & seller) at the same time.¹
Due diligence: The process of gathering information about the condition and legal status of all the assets that will be sold.¹
Earnest money deposit: Money given to the seller at the time an offer is made as a sign of the buyer’s good faith.¹
Equity: The amount of dollars invested by a homeowner into their home.¹
Escrow: A bond, deed, or other document kept in custody of a 3rd party and taking effect when specified conditions are met.¹
Home inspection: A home inspector examines your home for integrity (HVAC system, electrical, plumbing, attic, flooring, foundation, etc.¹
Listing agent: The agent that represents the home seller during a real estate transaction.¹
Listing price: The price of a property through a listing agreement.¹
Market value: The highest price in terms of money which a property will bring in a competitive and open market under all the conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller, each acting prudently, knowledgeably and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus.¹
Multiple listing service (MLS): A compilation of available properties for sale by member brokers.¹
Natural hazards disclosure report: A report that states risks of natural hazards for the property.¹
Pre-approval: A higher level of buyer/borrower prequalification required by a mortgage lender. Some pre-approvals have certain conditions the borrower must meet.¹
Pre-qualification: The mortgage company tells a buyer in advance of the formal mortgage application, how much money the borrower can afford to borrow - some have conditions that the borrower must meet.¹
Purchase and sale agreement: The written contract between the buyer and seller that outlines the terms of sale.¹
REALTOR©: A registered trademark of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS - used only by its members.¹
Seller concession: Incentives to motivate buyers to purchase a home.¹
Seller disclosure: Information about the property like major renovations, water damage, pest, etc.¹
Short sale: The property is sold for less than the debt secured by the property.¹
Title search: Looks at public records of a property’s history - sales, purchases, taxes, etc.¹

The Home Selling Timeline

Now:	1. Choose an Ideal Close Date	Notes

60 Days Before Listing:	2. Research Your Local Market

45 Days Before Listing:	3. Hire a Real Estate Agent

	4. Price Your Home

	5. Prepare Your Home for Market	Staging/Curb Appeal


30 Days Before Listing:	6. Discuss Our Marketing Strategy

	7. List Your Home on the Market	Open Houses/Showings


	8. Get, Evaluate, and Accept Offer

	9. Complete Contingencies/Close

	10. Move Out

Choose a Date

The first step to selling your home is to choose a sell date. If you’re like most home sellers, you’ll also need to find a home to purchase. Choosing a date will give us a target timeline to achieve, help you plan for your move out of your old home, and move into your new home. Keep in mind, your sell date can be flexible. We can include a home sale contingency in your contract that lets you buy a new house before selling your current one.

Tips for Choosing a Date
Your desired move out date may depend on many factors:

If you have children, then moving during the summer ensures they finish the school year in their current district with minimal disruption to their studies.
If you’re relocating for job, then your move-out date may depend on your employer.
If you’re selling to maximize your return on investment (ROI), then your move-out date may depend on historical data and trends for recently sold homes in your local market.

B. Season Highlights in the United States¹

Spring: In most areas, the best time to sell a home is during the first 2 weeks of May. Typically sells 18.5 days faster than any other month and for 5.9% more money.
Summer: The best month is June. Summer is generally the best season to sell.
Fall: Usually not an ideal time to sell.
Winter: Usually the least ideal and most difficult time to sell.

Season	Pros	Cons
Spring Mar - Jun	Warmer weather + longer days. Buyers have extra funds from tax returns. Better foliage curb appeal. Get a head of summer rush.	Weather could be unpredictably rainy. Could be more difficult to move with children still in school. There could be a lot of competition.
Summer Jun - Sep	Warmer weather and longer days. Children are out of school. There are typically more buyers. More data to work with.	Weather could be very hot. Buyers could be pickier. Professional services are busier and could be more difficult to book.
Fall Sep - Dec	Cooler weather. Less competition + more serious buyers. Leftover buyers from spring/summer. Better fall foliage curb appeal.	Less available inventory = pickier buyers. Less buyers than spring/summer The market typically slows down. Cold and wet weather.
Winter Dec - Mar	Highly motivated buyers. Less competition. Holiday staging + curb appeal.	Could be cold and wet weather. Less buyers and less demand. Moving is usually more difficult.

Research the Market

Go online and research prices of recently sold homes in your local market that are comparable to yours. You can do this with a Comparative Market Analysis tool on my website: [YOUR WEBSITE LINK]. This will help you get an idea of a price range for listing your home as well as the typical days on market in your neighborhood. You should also research price range and days on market for previous years so you can identify trends.

While Researching Your Market, Ask Yourself:

Are prices increasing year-over-year?
Have the average days on market increased or decreased year-over-year?
What type of amenities and features do they have?

The national median sales price of new homes sold and the median days on market are good indicators of the growth of the real estate market. Median sales price is important because it indicates the middle price of all sold new sold homes with 50% of prices higher and 50% of prices lower. Median days on market is useful because it shows you how the amount of days it takes to sell a home with 50% being higher and 50% being lower.

For the past decade, the median sales price of new homes sold in the United States has increased steadily by 63% - it’s expected to continue to grow by 5.5% in 2022.

The national median days on market has decreased year-over-year. Days on market are heavily influenced by month, with May being the fastest selling month and December being the slowest.

Hire a Real Estate Agent

You’re maybe asking yourself do I need to hire a real estate agent? Even if you aren’t listing your home on the market, hiring a real estate agent can decrease your workload and stress. Licensed real estate professionals possess negotiation skills and experience handling transactions, contracts, and title details. Unless you’re selling a home to a friend or family member, you should always hire a licensed real estate professional.

Benefits of working with a real estate agent:

Home Sale Preparation: In my initial home evaluation I will help you prioritize and decide which repairs are necessary to increase your home’s value.
Local Market Expertise: Your community is one that I specialize in. With my experience, I will be able to highlight the many benefits of living in your area to potential buyers.
Home Showing Experienced: I’ll help professionally stage your home to increase its value, market your property to targeted home buyers, show your home to motivated buyers, and compel them to buy.
Negotiate the Best Price: I’ll make sure you get the most reasonable price and ideal terms of sale by leveraging my negotiating skills and local market knowledge.

Step 1: Weigh Pros & Cons

Agent assisted homes sell on average for 20% more.¹
Leveraging agent resources can save time and stress.

Step 2: Consult Family & Friends

Ask family & friends for referrals.
Ask if their listing agent sold within their desired time and price range.
Narrow down your selection by experience and market familiarity.
Try to interview at least 3 real estate agents.

Step 3: Review Track Records

Ask each agent you interview how many homes they’ve sold in your neighborhood, the average sale price, and median days on market.
Request a listing presentation to see their personalized marketing plan to sell your home.
Research agents in your area by reviewing their past sales on home search sites like Trulia and Zillow as well as Google, Yelp!, and on their Facebook page.

Step 4: Be Aware

Real estate agents like any other service provider have varying quality levels.
The average real estate commission is between 5-6%.
Be aware that their commission percentage is contingent on the services provided. 1% commission services do not include the full services of 5-6% agents. Price Your Home

Pricing a home, the right way, requires balance - so it’s important we gather as much relevant data to price your home accurately. If we price it too high, we could lose potential buyers, days on market increase, and we could receive less engagement with the listing. If we price it too low, you might not get the most value for your home.

Step 1: Request a CMA

A CMA or Comparative Market Analysis is a document, taken from your local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database that lists sold home details. You’ll see homes of similar value with their sold price and sale time. The report will then provide a suggested listing price.
A real estate agent sill typically provides you with a CMA during their listing presentation in hopes that you’ll hire them as their agent.
To schedule a CMA report, click the link below –

Step 2: Meet with Your Real Estate Agent

After selecting an agent, meet again to finalize a price with them. Be sure your agent is familiar enough with your market to strategically price, position, and present your home.

Step 3: Be Flexible

Have realistic expectations going into your listing presentation.
Don’t rely on home search sites like Zillow or Trulia to provide a suggested list price.
Consult agents familiar with your market before making price expectations.

Prepare Your Home for Market

Start sprucing up your home by decluttering, cleaning, and fixing up the interior and exterior. Once your home is in tip-top shape, let’s work together and decide whether staging and boosting curb appeal are appropriate strategies for you.

After we decide on our staging and curb appeal strategy, we’ll take high-resolution photos that highlight your home’s best features, develop captivating copywrite for your listing, and decide the days and times are best for showings and open houses.

A. Tips for Decluttering, Cleaning, and Fixing Up Your Home

Decluttering: If it’s possible, move your nonessential belongings into storage containers off your property. A decluttered room will appear more open and inviting to potential buyers. You should also remove any pictures of you and your family.
Cleaning: Buy or rent a power washer to deep clean exterior walls, windows, porch, deck, walkway, garage, driveway, etc.
Fixing Up: Add a fresh coat a paint outside/inside, touch up, and complete cosmetic/functional fixes. If necessary, repair and/or replace screen doors/windows, facets, shower heads, lightbulbs, wall sockets, light switches, appliances, etc. When replacing items, consider upgrading them to smart home devices to increase the value of your home.

B. Curb Appeal
Curb Appeal is the physical appearance of a home’s exterior. It’s the first thing buyers see before entering your home and it leaves a lasting impression. This crucial for attracting new buyers and drive-by prospects as well as increase the perceived value of your home. 94% of REALTORS® suggest sellers improve their home’s curb appeal before listing it for sale with them¹

Tip 1: Complete your hown inspection. Pretend you are a potential buyer, walk and drive by your house and take note of at least three features that is attractive and three that need improvement Is the roof free of debris? Are the gutters clean? Is the foliage and lawn well groomed? Is the paint fresh? These features can turn off a potential buyer if neglected.
Tip 2: Add exterior touches and minor additions to make your home stound out. Some common upgrades are mailboxes, home address numbers, installing flower boxes, fresh paint, more lighting, and a new welcome mat. One minor upgrade might not do much, but they are powerful when added up and viewed together.
Tip 3: Purchase or rent a pressure washer and use it to clean the extremely dirty surfaces of your home like your porch, deck, driveway, fence, and siding.
Tip 4: A fresh, new coat of paint can revive the appearance of your home. Paint the trim, look for areas that are peeling or chipped, find discolorations, and use neutral colors.
Tip 5: Get a second opinion of your home’s curb appeal. Ask your real estate agent, friend, or a neighbor for their opinion – they might notice some details that you might’ve overlooked.

C. Staging
Staging is a common strategy used to show off your home. It also helps potential buyers to visualize themselves living in the home and increases online requests for showings. Staging can also increase the dollar value offer on a home and decrease time on market. Below are stats to help you understand staging’s impact on home selling:

The Impact of Staging on Buyers¹:

83% - Say it is easier to visualize property as future home.
38% - More willing to walk through home they saw online.
37% - Will positively impact home value if home decorated match buyer’s taste.
23% - Overlook other property faults.
7% - Will negatively impact home value if home decorated doesn’t match buyer’s taste.

The Percentage Change in Dollar Value Offer of a Staged Home¹:

19% - No impact on dollar value.
22% - Staged home has increase of 1% to 5%.
17% - Staged home has increase of 6% to 10%.
7% - Staged home has increase of 11% to 20%.
33% - Not sure.

Impact of Time on Market¹:

18% - Increased time on market.
12% - Does not impact time on market.
53% - Decrease time on market.
18% - Don’t know.

Staging Tips

Do’s:

Hang Mirrors: Hang a mirror in your entry way for a more spacious look.
Reduce Furniture: Minimizing the amount of furniture makes your home look more
open and spacious.
Use Neutral Colors: Neutral colors show best in all homes and doesn’t turn off buyers.
Leverage Technology: Tech updates are a huge selling point, so showcase them.

Don’ts:

Mask Odors: Use only natural deodorizers and avoid floral scents.
Overcrowd: Keep your room’s purpose clear and well defined.

Our Marketing Strategy

As a real estate agent, I have proven marketing strategies that we can implement to get your listing in front of as many ideal home buyers as possible. I’ve also cultivated a strong network of consumers and business partner experts that we can leverage to find a buyer quickly. In addition to my robust network, we will also market your listing where home buyers are known to find the home they purchased. According to NAR’s Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report:

The Top Places Home Buyers Found the Home They Purchased¹:

50% Internet
28% Real Estate Agent
7% Yard Sign/Open House Sign
5% Friend, Relative or Neighbor
3% Directly from Sellers/Knew the Sellers
1% Print Newspaper Ad

A. Online Strategies
Since the internet is the leading channel that buyers found the home they purchased, we’ll market your home on the following websites, social media networks, and my contact database:

Websites:

https://eileencline.com (100 Daily Views and more)
Zillow.com
Trulia.com
Realtor.com
RedFin.com
Craigslist

Social Media:

Facebook (600 Followers)
Instagram (400 Followers)
Twitter (300 Followers)

Email Database:

20,000 Active Contacts

B. Offline Strategies
To get the most buyers, we’ll show your home to as many people as possible by leveraging print and offline marketing tools:

Printed Promotions:

Yard signs
Flyers
Brochures
Postcards
Door hangers

Offline Promotions:

Word of mouth
Staging
Curb Appeal
Open Houses
Showings

Once our marketing campaigns begin, we’ll start receiving inquires about your home and requests for showings to view it. To help you prepare for showings more efficiently, we should establish a timeframe that your home will be available for showings – the Showing Period.

C. During the Showing Period:

You must keep your home extra clean, tidy, and odorless – so hopefully you’ve decluttered/cleaned your home and put all your valuables in storage.
You should also be prepared to evacuate your home at a moment’s noticed in case a buyer wants an immediate walkthrough.
Keep all family photos hidden.
Lock all valuable items in a safe.

Collect, Evaluate, and Accept an Offer

A serious buyer will make an offer if they’re interested in your home, and you’ll want at least three of them. When you get an offer, you can either accept, reject, or counter offer it. Before you decide, you should consider the proposed purchase price, their financial paperwork, contract contingencies, earnest money deposit, requested move-in date, offer expiration date.

Common Home Buyer Contingencies:

Appraisal
Financial
Home Inspection
Home Insurance-Related
House Sale
Kick-Out
Right to Assign
Title
Repairs
Moving

Once you’ve carefully considered the offers for your home, have accepted one, and fulfilled all the contingencies, it’s time to get ready for the final walkthrough and closing.

NOTE: Your sell date can be flexible. We can include a home sale contingency in your contract that lets you buy a new house before selling your current one.

Under-contract and Closing

A closing agent usually handles the closing process. This includes reviewing sales contracts, witnessing signings, collecting keys, and all other physical documents.

Step 1: Negotiations

Disclose everything, ask questions, and respond quickly.
Work with an experienced agent that’ll represent your best interest during every step.

Step 2: Collecting Paperwork
After setting a sale price and agreeing on contingencies the buyer will begin collecting paperwork. When you work with an experienced agent this process will go smoothly.

Common documents needed for sale include:

Original Sales Contract (with purchase price)
Mortgage & Financing Documents
Title Documents
Tax Records
Proof of Professional Inspections
Proof of Home Repairs (receipts)

Step 3: Completing the Sale
Generally, the buyer possesses the home a couple of days after the closing date. Double-check the buyer’s title is properly recorded in your local recorder’s office along with the mortgage liens.

Before you start counting your profits, you’ll need to take care of the closing expenses. Odds are, you’ll be responsible for paying the entire commission for your real estate agent as well as the buyer’s since you’re the seller. You can refer to the Listing Agreement to see the details of your transaction’s closing costs.

Common Closing Costs for Sellers:

Mortgage Payoff and Outstanding Interest
Home Inspections and Appraisals
Title Policy Fees
Attorney’s Fees
Transfer Tax or Other Government Fees
Seller’s Disclosure

NOTE: You should also consider the capital gains tax, home warranty for the buyer, and your moving costs.

Move Out

Congrats, you’ve sold your home! You’re almost done, all that remains is to move out. Once you’ve accepted an offer and have determined a move out date, call your services like utilizes, cable, internet, magazine subscriptions, etc. and cancel or transfer them to your new address.

While packing, it’s recommended to set aside an overnight kit with all your daily essentials.

Overnight Moving Checklist:

Emergency: First aid kit, trash bags, flashlight, medication, toolbox, batteries.
Food: Water, paper plates, utensils, snacks, dry food.
Toiletries: Toilet paper, soap/shampoo, towels, shower curtain, grooming items, hygiene items.
Documents: HUD-1 Statement, additional closing documents, ID, Passport, etc.
Pets: Pet food, bowls, leash/collar, bed, toys, medication.
Kids: Games, books, clothes, kid supplies, pajamas, night light, school supplies.
Misc.: Clothes, work clothes, pen/paper, cleaning supplies, bedding/pillows, phone charger, power bank, laptop.

Now What?

Begin Your Agent Search!

Consult family and friends for a listing agent, search local agents on home search sites, and familiarize yourself with the experts in our neighborhood.

HOME SELLERS GUIDE

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