Seller's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Seller's Guide

Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced agent and this easy to follow guide, you can smoothly complete the process. Following these steps will help you prepare so you can get organized and sell your home for the best price possible.​​​​​​

main

Step 1: Understand Why You're Selling

What do you want to accomplish with the sale of your home? Do you want to make a certain amount of money that you can put toward a larger or nicer home? Do you need to sell it as soon as possible to facilitate a move to a new city or area? Once you understand your needs, you can better craft your offer. For example, if you need to sell quickly, you might want to price your home lower than if your goal is to make a certain profit margin. Make sure you convey these needs to your Realtor® once you choose one so he or she can adjust your selling price accordingly.

main

Step 2: Start Preparations

If you’ve kept your home in showroom condition since you’ve lived in it, you’re in the minority of homeowners. Once you price your home, it’s time to start getting it ready to be shown to potential buyers. This includes getting rid of clutter, depersonalizing the space so that buyers can envision themselves in the space, making any small repairs, and doing a deep clean to make sure your home is in pristine condition.

main

Step 3: Determine Selling Price

Knowing how to price your home is one of the most important parts of the selling process. When you set a fair price in the beginning, you’ll get the most interest from other real estate agents and prospective buyers. Overpricing your home could lead to reduced interest, and underpricing leads to receiving less than what your home is worth. Working with a real estate agent is the best way to determine the right selling price for your home. An agent with experience can determine what other comparable homes are selling for, evaluate the current market, and may even suggest a home appraisal.

main

Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

I will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing through social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, traditional media, or SEO advertising. My team creates a marketing campaign that aims to get the most possible traffic to your listing in the first three weeks after becoming a client.

main

Step 5: Evaluate Offers

Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over. We will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is prequalified or pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. If the offer is too low, you can make a counter-offer or offer other ways to bridge the gap, such as covering some or all of the closing costs, making repairs, adjusting the move-in date, or leaving some appliances or fixtures for the new buyer.

main

Step 6: Accept an Offer

Once we deem the offer is acceptable, we will review the proposed contract to make sure it’s all in order and includes the necessary components such as deposit amount, down payment, financing, inspection rights and repair allowances, contingencies, settlement date, and a list of fees and who will pay them. When both parties have agreed to the term, a final contract will be prepared by your agent.

main

Step 7: Get Ready to Close

You have accepted an offer and are now very close to the end of your selling journey. But first, you and the buyer must make a list of what needs to be done before closing. In some cases, your home may need to be formally inspected, surveyed, and appraised. In other cases, major or minor repairs will need to be made before the house can close. I will head up efforts to develop and execute this list, get each action item paid for by the correct party, and make sure everything is in order by the closing date. A few days before the closing date, we will call the company closing the transaction to make sure everything is ready to go. If you haven’t done so already, you also need to make arrangements to move out of the home so the new buyer can take possession.

main

Step 8: Close

You’ve reached the last step in the seller’s process. When you close on a home you are selling, you are legally transferring ownership of the property to the new buyer. We will meet with the company closing the transaction to sign the final paperwork and go over any issues that have not yet been taken care of. During this time, you can also make plans with your Realtor® to handle final details such as canceling utilities, cable, and lawn or trash services, changing the name on accounts that the new owner is retaining and ensuring the new owner has instructions for all appliances that will remain in the home.

Congratulations!

Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.

Our Testimonials

JOHN L.

JOHN L.

Melanie did a terrific job selling our home before it even hit the MLS!
Read More
HOLLY L.

HOLLY L.

Melanie was not only the consummate professional, but she never wasted our time and absolutely assisted us in all the details of moving. Highly recommend her as a seller’s Realtor®.
Read More
LUCIA M.

LUCIA M.

Melanie made the experience of selling our house a total breeze! She has a calm, kind demeanor and was available to answer any questions we had. She’s honest and straightforward in a kind way and doesn’t force her opinions on y...
Read More
SALLY N.

SALLY N.

Excellent Realtor®, knowledgeable, with the highest integrity, and professional, regarding purchasing or selling in the real estate arena. If your her client she will remain loyal to your needs as well as protect you from any p...
Read More
THOMAS D.

THOMAS D.

I cannot praise Melanie Wood highly enough for her work in selling my " as is"house. Every recommendation she made, from what to fix and what not to pricing the property to condition for the show was spot on. The property sold ...
Read More
CARA N.

CARA N.

Selling our home with Melanie has been a breeze! Since the day we decided to sell she has made this process seamless in every way possible. Professional, responsive, and attentive. Top-of-the-line marketing and an eye for detai...
Read More
CAMEO E.

CAMEO E.

Melanie has been great during our recent house-hunting journey. Sticking with us while seeing several houses that weren't right, she provided great advice and perspective until we found the one house that is perfect for us. She...
Read More
VERNON F.

VERNON F.

Great gal, went beyond and above to assist in selling my waterfront property. Kind and passionate about her business, and very knowledgeable about our area and market. Made it easy for long-distance sales. We truly couldn't hav...
Read More
NANCY F.

NANCY F.

Trust and confidence. Two huge qualities that we found in Melanie Wood. We sold a home and bought a home with Melanie’s help and expertise. She knows what buyers want, therefore knowledgeable about how to prepare a home to show...
Read More
KAREN P.

KAREN P.

If you are looking to buy a home for personal use or an investment property, Melanie Wood Realtor® is the person for you! With inventory at such a low and houses selling in a day, you have to move fast. I called Melanie at 1 p....
Read More
Lauren

Lauren

Just taking a moment to tell you how eternally grateful I am for you finding us this house in Chartridge ❤️ I'm reminded almost daily that the neighborhood couldn't be more perfect for us, and the house, even after almost 9yrs,...
Read More
Katrina

Katrina

We just wanted to send you a little note of thanks for all the kindness, guidance, wisdom & help you've shown us over the past 2 years, and for connecting us with Nancy in VT. We cannot express how grateful we are to you for he...
Read More
Frank

Frank

Debra and I want to thank you for being our realtor and partner over the last 9 months. You made it easy, even though it was not, going through the processes of selling an existing house and buying a new one. I know I was grum...
Read More
Judy and Jerry

Judy and Jerry

Jerry and I and Jody want to thank you for helping us to be successful in purchasing our condo! You were always so positive and kept moving forward without looking back. You never lost sight of our goal or became discouraged. ...
Read More
Laraine & Bill

Laraine & Bill

Denise Moore helped us purchase a condominium in Annapolis in September 2023. Denise went beyond the “call of duty” and did everything she could to make the transaction as smooth as possible. As we were out-of-towners, Denise t...
Read More
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

What’s your property worth?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Almost There! You’re 1 Step Away

By providing Melanie Wood your contact information, you acknowledge and agree to our Privacy Policy and consent to receiving marketing communications, including through automated calls, texts, and emails, some of which may use artificial or prerecorded voices. This consent isn’t necessary for purchasing any products or services and you may opt out at any time. To opt out from texts, you can reply, ‘stop’ at any time. To opt out from emails, you can click on the unsubscribe link in the emails. Message and data rates may apply.
Thank You

We’re gathering your property information. Your home valuation report will arrive in your mailbox.

Work With Us

Your needs, whether selling or purchasing a home, are our top priority. We will provide skilled negotiations, contract management, and a smooth transaction with her resources and knowledge. Knowing the market and upcoming & potential listings is key in our area.

Follow Us on Instagram