Selling
Made Easy!
Tori's step-by-step guide to selling your home
I know that selling a home can be stressful. But as the top real estate agent at the top real estate firm in Winston-Salem, I have been through this process hundreds of times and have the experience you need to handle every scenario that could arise. My job is to make the process of selling your home as painless as possible. Here are some tips.
1. Declutter your house.
Remove small appliances and other items from your countertops to make your kitchen seem larger. Box up some clothes and shoes from your closets to make them look more spacious. Pack away the bulk of your personal photos so a buyer can envision themselves living in your home (rather than feeling like a guest in someone else’s). And make any repairs or updates that we’ve discussed. An inspector will always find some issues, but a long report can spook a buyer.
2. Determine the asking price.
3. Get professional photos.
You can’t execute a great marketing plan without great photography. I usually also recommend drone photos because they can be an attractive differentiator when selling a home. (Sometimes videos can be helpful, but in most cases still images do the job.) Fear not: I have great resources — people who specialize in residential real estate photography — and I’ll take care of lining them up. We will discuss the best time for the photographer to come to your home so it’s in tip-top shape. I also recommend you tuck away a set of these photos. They’ll make for a nice trip down memory lane in the future, especially if you have children.
4. Introduce the home to the market.
There are hundreds of real estate websites and apps, and you want to be on them all. No worries! I will take care of this for you, too. Of course, no marketing efforts are as powerful as word of mouth. So it helps if you share a link for your listing on social media. You never know who may be looking to buy (or who may have been eyeing your house or neighborhood).
5. Evaluate feedback from showings.
It’s still your home, so it can be hard not to take feedback personally. But don’t. Some things — like the size of the yard or the number of bathrooms — are what they are. That just means those home buyers aren’t The Ones. But if we consistently hear that people don’t like your pumpkin living room, I may suggest you paint it.
6. Review offers & accept one.
Make sure to discuss fixtures and personal property. Keep in mind that window coverings (blinds, draperies…) stay with the home unless otherwise stated in the contract. If you plan to take a light fixture with you, you need to communicate that up front; it may even be wise to replace it before you list the house — or state in the listing that you’ll provide a credit to a lighting store so the buyer can select a replacement. Be open to the buyer requesting that you leave a rug or even some furniture. That doesn’t mean you have to, but it could provide you some leverage. Either way, consider it a complement.
7. Hire a mover if you haven't already.
8. CASH your due diligence check please.
The process in North Carolina is different from many other states. This isn’t earnest money (which typically goes into escrow) that can be refunded to the buyer or applied to the sale of the home. Due diligence money is yours. If you hold onto it rather than cashing it, the buyers could just cancel the check if they change their minds. Then you have no leverage.
9. Work through repairs & appraisal.
Some of the repairs may seem silly. Do them anyway, and do them the right way, because you’ll have to prove you did. I can recommend some contractors to help you. Make a thorough list of what you need done before they arrive, and walk them through each repair. Although the cleanliness of your home definitely should not impact an appraisal, I usually recommend that you have the house looking nice inside and out when the appraiser comes.
10. Prepare for closing.
Call ALL of your utility companies (water, gas, electricity, cable/internet, security system provider) to remove your name from accounts. It’s not your responsibility to sign up the buyer; they’ll take care of that. Also remember to unpair all of your devices from the home’s WiFi. Get your house keys organized (including those you may have given to friends or family members). And if you have a keypad lock (and/or garage door code), bring the instructions for changing the code. If you can’t find them, look for them online and print them off to take to the closing. The same is true for your security system. You’ll need to provide the code so they can reset it.
11. Collect your mortgage info so the closing attorney can pay off your loan.
Remember, all equity lines MUST be paid off and closed before you can give clear title to a new buyer. If there is any sort of lien remaining on your property, that must be addressed.
12. Prepare the house for closing.
Make sure all of your stuff is out of the house and that the house is in broom-clean condition and free of debris before you go to closing. The buyer may arrange for a housecleaning service to come in the day of closing. Sometimes they may ask the seller to cover the cost of this as part of the due diligence negotiation. I’ll help you communicate with the buyer about this through their agent if necessary. Don’t worry about patching nail holes in the wall from where your artwork previously hung.
13. Sign the deed.
As the seller, you won’t sign as much at closing as the buyer. But you will sign the deed after everything else (namely the financing) has been confirmed and cleared.
14. Transfer keys to the new owner.
Bring ALL of your house keys (ideally labeled) to closing for the buyer. That includes keys you may have given to friends and family members. Do not keep a spare set. (You wouldn’t want the seller of your next home to do that.) Bring keypad codes (and instructions) and security system codes (and provider info) with you.
This is a lot to remember, and the process can be confusing at times. As your agent, my role is to guide you and represent your interests at every stage. I will make the process as smooth and painless as possible.
Are you ready to sell? If so, let's talk!
Complete the form below or give me a call at 336-345-3499.