Selling Process

• Getting Started

  1. Start With the Agent
  2. Selecting an Agent
  3. First Meeting
  4. Market Analysis
  5. Second Meeting
  6. Buying a Listing
  7. Commissions
  8. Who Do You Trust

• Getting Ready

  1. The Listing Agreement
  2. Agency
  3. Preparing the House
  4. Municipal Inspection
  5. Projects
  6. Staging
  7. Seller’s Disclosure
  8. Final Pricing
  9. Seller’s Net Sheet

• On the Market

  1. Showings
  2. Housekeeping
  3. The Truth About Open Houses
  4. Advertising
  5. Marketing to Agents
  6. Agent Feedback
  7. The Market Speaks

• Negotiation

  1. The Offer
  2. Win-Win
  3. The Buyer’s Inspection
  4. The Second Negotiation

• On to Closing

  1. Title Work
  2. Appraisal
  3. Work Orders
  4. Final Walk-Through
  5. Closing

Selling a Home - River Realty Selling Guide

(Print the entire Selling Guide in PDF format here.)

Of course you already know that selling in today’s market is harder than it was a few years ago.  The steps in selling haven’t really changed; but nowadays you have to be ready to go the extra mile to prepare your house for sale, to wait patiently for the market to find you, and to be flexible and non-defensive in negotiations.  Prices have fallen since 2005, and competition is fierce: many homeowners find that they have “lost” the equity needed to move on to the next house.  We could go on, but if you read the paper or watch TV you know it’s tough out there.

So, as a prospective seller, what can you do?  Our advice: get smarter.  Get smarter about the value of your home, about getting it ready for sale, about being on the market, about negotiating intelligently.  We don’t mean to insult you; we just know that every homeowner could benefit from more information before selling.  Knowledge makes it possible for you to be realistic in your expectations and reasonable in your responses, giving you a critical edge in today’s market. 

In this section we want to take you on a comprehensive journey through the selling experience, from your initial contact with an agent through house preparation, pricing and listing, marketing, negotiation and closing.  Ours will be a more personal presentation than you’ll see anywhere, full of examples offering you an “on the ground” perspective with lots of selling tips and opinions.  It’s extremely long, so we’ve broken it into 5 major topic areas (in the sidebar at right).