Steps to Selling a House

Find a top local real estate agent

In order to achieve your most successful home sale, you’ll want to hire a top real estate agent. Top real estate agents bring expertise and experience to your transaction that can be invaluable to your end result.

Interview multiple candidates

There are plenty of real estate agents out there, and not all of them will be the right fit for you. HomeLight can match you with three local real estate agents that are trustworthy and well-regarded in their field.

Once you get your matches, it’s vital to interview each one of your candidates to make sure you hire the right fit. Think of it like a job interview; you don’t want to bring on the wrong candidate. Make sure to ask the agents if they can put you in touch with clients who can provide honest testimonials.

What to look for and what to avoid

It’s also important to ask about your agent’s statistics, especially those that most greatly impact your sale. For example, if you want a quick sale, you’ll want to ask about your agent’s average days on market. This statistic indicates how long the agent’s homes sit on the market before a sale.

Or, if you want to get the most money for your sale, you should look into your agent’s sales compared to other agents in your area. HomeLight’s agent profiles can give you more information on each of your agents.

You’ll also want to see how long your agent has been in the industry, and how many homes they’ve successfully sold throughout their career or during the last few years.

What are the red flags you should look for? Be wary of agents who don’t have much experience or who can’t provide client testimonials. Low-commission agents can also be a gamble. These agents take a lower percentage of your sale as commission, but usually in exchange for less expertise and less work on their end.

Sign the listing agreement

Once you find the agent you want to work with, you’ll have to sign a listing agreement with them. This agreement covers everything from what will be included in your home sale — like appliances and lighting fixtures — to how your real estate agent will be compensated. It also includes how your agent can market your home sale, such as on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), using lockboxes to let potential buyers inside, and for-sale signs.

What about FSBO?

For sale by owner (FSBO) is when you sell your home without the help of an agent, which can theoretically save you money on the seller’s agent commission. While going FSBO is always an option, a real estate agent can bring their expertise to your sale, making your life a whole lot easier. Working with a real estate agent can make the difference between getting the most money for your sale and leaving money on the table.

In fact, the average FSBO home sale in 2023 was $310,000 compared to $405,000 for agent-assisted home sales, according to data analyzed by NAR.

Connect with a Top Agent

Our data shows the top 5% of agents across the U.S. help clients sell their home for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent. It takes just two minutes to match clients with the best real estate agents, who will contact you and guide you through the process.

Find Agent

Set a sale price

The next step to selling your house is setting a sale price. Deciding on a price is a process that takes a lot of time and analysis, especially on your agent’s part.

Order a pre-listing inspection

One of the steps to take before you set your sale price is a pre-listing inspection. A pre-listing inspection will give you an accurate understanding of your home’s condition and value, which can prevent having to knock down your sale price later when problems arise during the appraisal. The cost of a pre-listing inspection — typically about $300 to $600 — will come out of your pocket, but can be worth it in the long run.

Review agent’s comparative market analysis (CMA)

Agents use a comparative market analysis, or a CMA, to help price your home. These analyses take into account similar homes recently sold in your area to determine the fair market value of your home. For example, if you have a three-bedroom, two-story home zoned for a particular elementary school, your agent will find other homes that meet that criteria and use their recent sales prices to determine what your home might sell for.

Determine selling priorities and strategy

Another important step to selling a house is to determine what your priorities are for your home sale. For example, you might want to sell your house as quickly as possible, so you can move or get on to another home purchase. Or, you might want to get the most money for your sale, regardless of how long it takes. Your priorities will affect your pricing strategy.

Prepare your home for market

Now that you’ve found your agent and priced your home, the next step to selling a house is to prepare it for the market.

Make advisable repairs and upgrades

Your agent can help you determine what upgrades and repairs are worth the money before you list. Depending on the market conditions, your agent might recommend different repairs. For example, many agents recommend applying a fresh coat of paint before listing if it’s been a while. You probably shouldn’t worry about upgrading your bathroom if your goal is a quick sale, but a minor remodel can be a good way to improve the value of your home if your goal is to make more money from the sale.

Declutter

You don’t want all of your stuff out when it comes time to take photos or have people walk through the house. Not only is it advisable to clear your clutter out of your house and move it to the garage or to storage, but it’s also a good idea to remove your personal items so buyers can see themselves in the space.

Deep clean

You’ll also want your home as clean as possible when you list. If you’re not confident in your cleaning abilities or you don’t have the time, consider hiring a cleaning company for a deep, move-out clean.

Boost curb appeal

Curb appeal is very real; what your buyers see from the street is a vital part of their first impressions. Be sure to keep your lawn or outdoor areas in tip-top shape, even if it’s the winter. You may also consider refreshing your exterior with paint or simple landscaping to make that first impression even sweeter.

Tackle marketing and showings

Stage your home

You can also speak with your agent about whether you should professionally stage your home. Some staging companies can stage your home virtually, while leaving your personal furniture in the home for the actual walkthrough. Remember, buyers want to be able to see themselves in your space.

Get professional photos

Agents also have relationships with professional photographers who specialize in real estate. Most buyers start their home search online, making it absolutely vital that your home looks as professional as possible on its online listing to grab buyers’ attention.

List your home

When you’re ready to begin letting the world know that your home is for sale and are accepting offers, your agent will list your property on the MLS. According to NAR, MLSs are private databases created and maintained by real estate professionals (agents, brokers, and so on) to help their clients buy and sell property. The “listing” in the title is another word for “a home for sale,” in industry terms.

Promote online and offline

Your agent will design a marketing plan for your home, which will likely include both online and offline marketing. Online marketing includes listing the home on the MLS, sharing it on social media, and posting about open houses. Offline marketing includes fliers, listing the home in newspapers and magazines, and sharing the listing with other agents.

Show your home

Additionally, your real estate agent will handle showings of your home. Most likely, you won’t be present during showings to help remove the emotional connection for both you and the buyers. Speak with your agent about a showing schedule that works for you, and what times are off-limits for showings. Your agent may also set up an open house to get as many buyers as possible in the home at one time.

Receive and negotiate offers

Once your home has been marketed and buyers have seen it in person, you’ll start receiving offers.

Review and compare offers

You’ll work with your real estate agent to review each offer and compare them to one another to find what’s best for you.

“Once we get the offer, we’ll go through it with them — point out the good parts, the bad parts,” Parrish says.

Negotiate

Everything in real estate is negotiable. Your agent can help you negotiate with the buyer and their agent to compromise on an offer. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want out of an offer.

Enter the due diligence period

Once you’ve accepted an offer and signed the offer agreement, you’ll enter what’s called a due diligence period. The escrow company or title company will take care of gathering the necessary documents and handling the payments between buyers and sellers. Meanwhile, you’ll have a few steps to take.

Complete the home inspection

The buyer will order a home inspection to ensure the home is in accordance with state’s standards. Many buyers will include a home inspection contingency in their offer to ensure the sale can be terminated if there are any serious problems with the home. Once the buyer gets the report, they can request repairs.

Get an appraisal

In addition to the home inspection, the buyer will also order an appraisal. The appraiser objectively determines the home’s value to verify that the buyer isn’t paying more than what it’s worth — and that the bank isn’t lending them more money than it’s worth. Make sure your agent is at the appraisal and has a plan in case the appraisal comes back low.

Clear title

Before your home sale can finalize, your title will need to clear to ensure that the house is yours and there are no outstanding claims against it. Your title company and agent will take care of ensuring your title clears.

Address needed repairs

Now you’ll need to take care of any repairs that you’ve agreed to completing for the buyer. Your agent can help recommend professionals who can complete the work in a timely manner.

Do the final walkthrough

The final walkthrough is the buyer’s last chance to check up on the house and ensure there are no more problems. Make sure the house is in “broom clean” condition to avoid any problems arising that could cost you time and money.

Close the sale and move

Once you’ve completed the due diligence period, it’s time to close the sale. Your agent will walk you through every step of the process, but prepare for the following steps.

Review settlement statement

The settlement statement itemizes fees and credits and summarizes the finances of the entire real estate transaction. You’ll also find your net proceeds in this statement. You can go over it with your agent to ensure you understand every financial aspect of the sale.

Receive sale proceeds

After you and the buyer have signed all the final settlement agreements, you can collect your payment from escrow. Depending on where you live and what day of the week you close, you may have to wait for the funds to transfer.

Determine taxes owed

Speak with your agent and a tax advisor to see if you own any capital gains taxes on your home sale.

Transfer utilities

Lastly, you’ll need to transfer your utilities to the buyer to ensure the utilities are never shut off in between you moving out and them moving in.

Navigate to the home sale finish line

Selling a house is more than just a financial transaction; it’s a significant life event that marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. While the process can seem daunting, with the right steps and a well-thought-out strategy, homeowners can get through it with confidence.

From preparing your home for a successful showing to understanding the intricacies of the market, each step plays an important role in maximizing returns and ensuring a smooth sale.

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