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First Time Home Seller's Guide
Dated: February 26 2025
Views: 131
FIRST TIME HOME SELLER'S GUIDE
First Time Home Seller: Listing To Close And What To Expect At Every Step
You may be: In a seller’s market and want to make a profit
Ready to relocate
Needing a larger space for your growing family
There are plenty of reasons you may be putting your first home up for sale. If
you are a first time home seller, there are details and logistics you need to
know about.
This guide will give you all of the insight you need to be sure you don’t miss
a thing. Wrap it all up so you can focus on the fun part: buying your next
home!
You've got a lot of money on the line. How much you sell your home for can
directly impact your next move. From posting the For Sale sign to signing on
the dotted line, make sure you
’re not losing time and money. This guide will
help you stop the gaps and ensure smooth sailing as you sell your first
home.
Here’s what’s inside:
1. Listing your home for sale: 101
2. 8 steps to prep your home to sell
3. Negotiating
4. All about closing
5. Final steps
LISTING YOUR HOME FOR SALE: 101
REALTOR
Find the right realtor. This will be someone local who has a good
understanding of how to sell homes in your area. You also want someone
who communicates in a way that is helpful and easy for you. Making the
wrong partnership up front could be detrimental to an easy home selling
process.
PRICE/COMPS
A great realtor will be able to coach you on this. Your home value should be
objectively assessed based on comparable homes on the market. Do you
want to know your home value? Go here for a free estimate from an expert
in your area.
LISTING & DESCRIPTIONS
Most people will find your home online. How it’s described is a huge make it
or break it for keeping their attention and encouraging them to stop
scrolling. Crafting the right copy can alert buyers to the desirable facts and
features about your home.
PICTURES & VIDEO
It’s a digital age. Prospective buyers will favor homes that have great,
professional photos and even video tours. There are plenty of ways to
capture great digital media, even if you only have a smartphone.
*BONUS TIP
Two selling points for a home could be having it inspected before buyers
start looking at it and having a transferable home warranty. Both of these
could improve the value of your home in a buyer’s mind.
8 WAYS TO PREP YOUR HOME TO SELL
In a snapshot, here are the eight steps you’ll take to prep your home to sell.
1. Make as many minor repairs as possible.
2. Decide if any major repairs need to be made.
3. Improve curb appeal outdoors: landscaping & grooming.
4. Deep clean your home: walls, flooring, ceilings & fixtures.
5. Clean your windows inside and out.
6. Declutter and depersonalize your space.
7. Neutralize your decor.
8. Do a walk-through and improve anything else you have missed.
You may be surprised to uncover issues that would deter buyers. Do a
thorough assessment of your property and make all of the fixes you can. This
will show buyers that the home is “move-in” ready, which is a great motivator
to “BUY NOW!”
*Bonus Tip
You may be booking showings in-person or online. For either, establish a
clear system with your realtor so that you know what is happening when and
are always prepared.
NEGOTIATING YOUR HOME SALE
In real estate, negotiating happens in the form of counteroffers. You may
receive an offer but want to counteroffer. This could go back and forth a few
times.
What can you negotiate?
Here is some info about what you may be able to negotiate:
Percentage of closing costs
Home warranty premiums
Repairs related to the inspection
Possession or closing date
Cosmetic updates
Furnishings
Household items
Home price
Mortgage loan points
How should you negotiate?
Your real estate agent will be your negotiation advisor. Here are some tips
when it comes to negotiating your home sale:
Take charge and be direct
Understand contingency clauses
Work with your bank
Encourage a bidding war
Don’t be emotional
Be realistic
Be creative
ALL ABOUT CLOSING
You've made it! After all of the prepping, showing, bidding and negotiating
is done you are on your way to the closing table.
Here’s what you need to know about closing on the sale of your first home:
The Players:
Escrow officer
Mortgage professional
Attorney
Title insurance agent
Home inspector
Buyer
Seller
Timeline from listing to closing: On average, 41 days
Closing checklist:
Home inspection
Appraisal
Loan documents
Homeowners
Insurance
Steps:
Final walkthrough
Sign documents
Final financials
FIRST TIME HOME SELLER'S RESOURCES
READY TO GET STARTED?
Ready to roll on the sale of your first home?
Get in touch today and get expert guidance to go through this process!
Paul Smith, Home Pros Real Estate
Group, Realtor
Phone: 915-780-8566
paul@signaturelistings.co
License: 0699641, Texas
paulsmith.homeprosrealestategroup.com/
Home Pros Real Estate Group,
Realtor,
1035 Belvidere, El Paso 79912
Office: 915-780-8566
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