How to Sell a House

1. Create a Home-Selling Timeline

If you want to know how to survive selling your house, you’ll want to begin with the end in mind. Work backward from your ideal closing date and break your to-do list into bite-size pieces. (Remember the saying about eating an elephant? This is where it applies!) That way you’ll know exactly where to start—and you’ll avoid a ton of stress as you work to sell your house fast.

Here’s a sample timeline you can use to get moving. But, of course, you should adjust the timeline according to your own needs and personal schedule.

ASAP

• Interview real estate agents. Take time to find a professional with a proven track record and knowledge about the market.

• Outline a plan. Work with your agent to set priorities so you can focus on finishing one task at a time.

• Declutter or sell stuff. Decide what you can live without until your home sells. Then pack it up and get it out (or better yet . . . find ways to sell it!).

2–3 Months Before Listing

• Hire a home inspector. Finding and fixing issues early in the home-selling process lets you work the cost of repairs into your budget . . . and won’t derail your deal later.

• Tackle repairs. Ask your agent where your repair budget will do the most good so you can get the best resale value.

1–2 Months Before Listing

• Set the stage. Create an inviting space so buyers can imagine your house as their own.

• Deep clean. Scrub every surface until it shines. Hire a cleaner to make carpets and rugs look—and smell—new again.

• Apply finishing touches. Get your house picture-perfect so your photographer can capture it in the best possible condition.

I know this sounds like a lot of big tasks to handle. But the key to keeping stress at bay in the weeks and months before you put your house on the market is to make a plan—and then follow that plan step by step.

2. Hire a Real Estate Agent You Can Trust

After you’ve mapped out your home-selling timeline, it’s time to put that plan into action. Remember, the first step to putting your timeline in motion is to get a real estate agent. That’s right! You need an expert in sales on your side.

Real estate agents are such an important part of the home-selling process. That’s why you don’t need just any agent. You need someone who will super-serve you, negotiate the best deal, and sell your house the right way—and fast! And you need someone who knows your local market inside and out to accomplish all that and more.

Real estate agents are also very helpful when it comes to some of the more challenging parts of selling your home, like mountains of paperwork and the stress of home inspections. A really good agent will work tirelessly for you and be in your corner when things get tough.

And as tempting as it might be to have a relative, a friend from church, or your cousin’s husband’s buddy help you, always choose a vetted real estate pro with several years of experience. They’ll help you sell your home for the most money in the shortest amount of time.

Can I sell my house myself?

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of saving money. If you’re planning a move, selling your house yourself can seem like a great way to do just that. But For Sale by Owner (FSBO) isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. First of all, if you really want to sell your home fast and get the best price, you need to get it in front of buyers—and lots of them. That’s where an agent comes in handy.

An experienced real estate agent will give your home a much-needed online presence through the Multiple Listing Service. This exposes your house to thousands of potential buyers. And if it seems like homes are flying off the market in your area, that’s even more reason to have a professional by your side. They’ll know how to get you the best deal no matter how many crazy offers, home showings or open houses come your way. Plus, an agent will create a strategy to market your house to their extensive network of buyers and agents.

But won’t you save big money going FSBO? Not really. That’s because a great agent will more than make up for the cost of their services. Consider this: The latest data shows the typical home sold by an agent brought in $435,000 compared to $380,000 for a house sold without an agent (aka FSBO).¹ That’s a $55,000 difference! So sure, you’ll pay a few grand more in commission fees when you use an agent. But even when you knock those fees off the top, you’d likely still come out tens of thousands of dollars ahead of a FSBO sale!

Trust me—working with a great real estate agent will help you get the most money for your house.

3. Get a Home Inspection

Most home buyers know it pays to get a home inspection. But did you know it’s a worthwhile tool for home sellers too? It’s true!

A presale home inspection might cost a few hundred dollars, but it’ll be money well spent. Why? Because seeing an inspection report can give buyers the confidence to put in an offer—and it can keep them from demanding big bucks during negotiations. It’s a win-win.

So, what’s included in a presale home inspection? According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, inspections cover:

• Electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems

• Windows, ceilings, walls, doors and floors

• Attic, visible insulation and roof

• Foundation, structural elements and basement²

A qualified home inspector will comb through your home’s accessible areas (like the roof, attic, walls and ceilings) to assess the home’s condition and find any health and safety issues. Once the inspection is complete, you’ll receive a detailed report outlining what works and what doesn’t, with recommendations for maintenance and repairs.

Don’t worry about taking care of every single thing in your presale home inspection report. But do pay attention to big-ticket issues that could scare buyers into asking for way more money off the sale price than what it’d take to make the repair. Your agent can help you sort through the inspection findings, but the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems typically take priority. If there’s room in your budget, address those repairs before you list.

4. Stage Your House

Once your house is in good working order, it’s time to set the stage and show off its best features. That starts with a deep clean. Unless you’re Mr. Clean, that probably doesn’t sound very fun, but a buyer won’t forget the feeling of a grimy or cluttered house. Simple things like scrubbing the counters and door surfaces, freshening up the paint, cleaning the carpet and decluttering are relatively low-cost, easy chores that will make a huge impact on potential buyers’ first impression of your home.

After your home is spick-and-span, you can begin to stage. Keep your decor colors neutral and depersonalize as much as possible. I know those family portraits are super cute, but take them down so buyers can imagine their families enjoying the house. Closets are always important to home buyers, so make space by storing away out-of-season clothing and miscellaneous gear. When in doubt, less is more.

Staging also gets your home ready for professional photos for your home’s online listing (and you should definitely go pro on those). Your agent should help coordinate the photo shoot, so that’s less pressure on you. Here are a few staging tips to get your home prepared for its glamour shot:

• Stay organized. Again, a tidy home is nonnegotiable. Channel your inner Snow White and whistle while you work if you have to. Just clean up the place.

• Add an extra touch of decor. A pair of throw pillows or a few green plants will add life to any room.

• Clear off the counters. Throw your juicer and blender in the kitchen cabinet. The same goes for your bathrooms. Toss those personal products in a drawer to keep them out of sight.

• Add more lighting. Bright rooms make your home look bigger. Open the curtains, pull up the blinds, and let the sunshine in. In spaces that don’t get much natural light, a well-placed lamp can make a big difference!

• Go easy on the rugs. Rugs generally don’t photograph well, and they can make your space look smaller. Your agent can help you decide which rugs can stay and which ones should go.

• Put a lid on it. Your toilet, that is. Keep it classy and private for a nice photo shoot.

• Don’t forget to stage outside too. Tidy your front porch and place nice planters near your entryway. If you have a deck, pressure wash it and add plants to give the space some life.

What’s the most profitable way to sell my house?

Staging and repairing your home should help you make more profit than if you were to sell it as-is. You may also be surprised to find how much a home remodeling project (or two) can increase your home value. I’m not talking about anything too crazy here. But if you have the budget to make some updates like installing stone veneer or a new garage door, you might find that you can earn back more than the project cost with the boost it brings to your home value.

Just be sure to do your research and don’t overspend. Ask your real estate agent what popular home improvements have been helping homes sell for more money in your area to get a professional’s opinion.

5. Set the Right Price From the Start

The key to pricing your home is to think objectively about your home’s value. If you’ve lived in your home long enough to make memories, those sentimental ties could cloud your judgment. So, stick to the facts as much as possible when you estimate how much your home could sell for.

The best way to determine your home’s value is by asking your real estate agent to run a comparative market analysis. This free report compares your house to similar houses in your area that are currently on the market or have sold in recent months. The comparison allows your agent to more accurately predict what buyers will pay for your home . . . and set a competitive price based on facts, not feelings.

You may be thinking, But Rachel, in my hot market, homes usually sell way above asking price. Well, that could be true. But even if buyers are willing to pay more than the asking price, your home still has to go through an appraisal once an offer is accepted.

What’s an appraisal? It’s when the buyer’s lender has a professional appraiser assess your home’s value. They’ll make sure the loan amount isn’t more than the home is actually worth. That way, the lender gets the security they need to move forward with a mortgage application, and the buyer is protected from a seller setting an unrealistic price.

Plus, you don’t want to risk setting a price so high that your home ends up waiting on the market for too long. The longer a home sits on the market, the less likely you’ll get offers because buyers start to think something’s wrong with it. Instead, do everything you can to set a realistic price from the start.