Listing Checklist Before Selling a House

 

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
    
2. Key Points/Takeaways
    
3. Listing Checklist Before Selling Your House
    
4. Listing Checklist for Real Estate Agents
    
   • Pre-Listing Stage
      
   • Property Preparation
      
   • Marketing and Exposure
      
   • Follow-Up
      
5. Preparing Your Home for Sale As The Home Owner
    
   • Declutter and Clean
      
   • Repairs and Upgrades
      
   • Curb Appeal
      
   • Staging
      
   • Price Strategy
      
   • Paperwork
      
6. Buyers or Sellers Market
    
7. FAQs
    

 

Key Points/Takeaways

• For Realtors: Make sure all documents are ready, prepare the house well, and market it in the right places to attract buyers.
   
• For Sellers: Clean, declutter, stage, and price your home well to make it stand out.
   
• Teamwork: Both agents and sellers need to work together for a smooth process.
   
• First Impressions Matter: How your house looks from the outside and inside is crucial for attracting buyers.
   
• Be Open to Change: You may need to adjust the price or strategy based on feedback from buyers.
   

 

Listing Checklist Before Selling Your House

Selling a house isn’t as simple as slapping a "For Sale" sign in the yard. It’s a lot like selling a car—you wouldn’t just hand over the keys without checking the engine and giving it a good wash first, right? Similarly, your house needs to be prepped, polished, and presented in its best light to attract serious buyers. It’s not just about putting it on the market and hoping for the best. There are many steps to consider to ensure that your home is ready for sale and that it gets the attention it deserves.

Listing Checklist for Real Estate Agents

When you're a realtor, your role is much more than just putting a house on the market. It’s about making sure the house is ready to shine, and that means taking care of all the little details. Here's how a realtor can help the seller get their house ready.

Pre-Listing Stage

Before listing the property, the first thing to do is get all the paperwork in order.

• Brokerage Agreement: This is a contract that confirms the realtor will help sell the home.
   
• Seller’s Disclosures: The seller needs to share information about the house, like any past problems or repairs.
   
• Property Details: Make sure all the important information about the home, like how many rooms it has, is correct.
   
• Neighborhood Info: Having details about the neighborhood, such as schools or nearby parks, can help buyers make a decision.
   

Property Preparation

Once the paperwork is done, it's time to focus on getting the house ready for sale.

• Staging: This means setting up the house in a way that shows it off the best. Some realtors hire professionals to help with this.
   
• Photography: Good photos are key to getting attention online. Professional photos are a must.
   
• Lockbox and Yard Signs: A lockbox lets other agents show the house, and a yard sign gets attention from people nearby.
   

Marketing and Exposure

After preparing the house, it’s time to get the word out.

• MLS Listing: Listing the house on the MLS makes it visible to other agents and potential buyers.
   
• Syndication: This means sharing the listing on websites like Zillow and Realtor.com so more people see it.
   
• Social Media: Posting the listing on Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms can help reach more buyers.
   
• Open Houses: Open houses let buyers walk through the house, which can lead to quicker offers.
   
• Agent Preview Events: Sometimes, realtors host events where other agents can check out the house and spread the word.
   
• eFlyers: Sending out digital flyers to buyers and other agents helps get the word out quickly.

Read more on how RE/MAX markets your home.

Follow-Up

Once the house is listed for sale, it’s important to keep checking in and making sure everything is moving forward. After each showing, try to get feedback from the buyers or their agents. They might share helpful ideas about things you could change to make the home more appealing. 

If the house isn’t getting much attention or offers, it might be time to think about a price adjustment. Also, remember to keep marketing the home even after it’s listed. Sharing it online, posting on social media, and telling more people about it can help find the right buyer faster.
 

 

Preparing Your Home for Sale as The Home Owner

1. Declutter and Clean
2. Repairs and Upgrades
3. Curb Appeal
4. Staging
5. Price Strategy
6. Paperwork

Selling the house is to make it more appealing to the eyes of the potential buyer. It will increase the chances of it getting the attention it deserves and the more attention it gets, the more people will want to interact with your listings and ultimately increase the chances of a deal.

Declutter and Clean

The very most important thing to consider is to empty the house for potential buyers to gauge how they can utilize the space.

Before selling a house, it’s really important to make it look clean and welcoming. First, you should declutter. This means getting rid of anything you don’t need or use. When there’s less stuff in a room, it looks bigger and feels more open. Buyers like homes that look roomy and neat.

Next, you should do a deep cleaning. Every room should be cleaned carefully, but you should pay extra attention to places like the kitchen and bathrooms. These are very important to buyers.

Repairs and Upgrades

 

• Minor Repairs: Fix things like leaky faucets, broken tiles, or squeaky doors.
   
• Upgrades: Consider freshening up with things like a coat of paint, new light fixtures, or upgraded appliances.
   
• Pre-Inspection: If you want to sell your house faster, getting a home inspection before you list it is a smart idea. A home inspection helps find any problems early, like roof leaks or plumbing issues. This gives you a chance to fix them before buyers even see the house. It also shows buyers that you’ve taken good care of your home, which can make them feel more confident and help the sale go faster.
   

Curb Appeal

First impressions matter! When buyers pull up to your house, they quickly decide if they like it — sometimes in just a few seconds. That’s why curb appeal is so important. In fact, homes with great curb appeal can sell for up to 7% more than homes that don’t look as nice on the outside. Simple things like mowing the lawn, planting flowers, painting the front door, and cleaning up the driveway can make a big difference. A pretty outside makes buyers excited to see what’s inside!
 

Staging

Staging helps buyers imagine themselves living in the home. If the house is empty, renting furniture can help. If it’s already furnished, make sure everything is arranged neatly:

• Arranging Furniture: Move furniture around to show how spacious the rooms are.
   
• Neutral Decor: Keep the decor simple so buyers can picture their own things in the space.
   

Price Strategy

• Market Research: Search the internet for the recent properties that were sold and base your pricing on the results of your research.
   
• Price Adjustments: Aaron Jones’ article on How To Price Your Home Correctly To Sell emphasizes the dangers of overpricing a home. Overpricing can result in the property lingering on the market, leading to buyer skepticism and potential price reductions. Properly pricing a home based on a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is crucial to attract serious buyers and achieve a timely sale.
   

Paperwork

Before listing, make sure all your documents are in order such as:

• Title: You need to present a title that proves you legally own the house and are ready to sell. (if title is lost, you may ask for the certified true copy from your local county recorder)
   
• Taxes: Make sure your property taxes are paid and up to date.
   
• HOA Info: If your home is part of a homeowners association, you’ll need to provide details about any rules or fees.

Note: If you are a resident in the state of Iowa you may want to read on the latest updates of the Property Taxes in Iowa.
 

Buyers’ or Sellers’ Market

To understand the market, sellers need to know if it's a seller’s or buyer’s market. In a seller’s market, there are more buyers than homes, so houses sell faster and at higher prices. In a buyer’s market, there are more homes than buyers, so prices may drop. Sellers should conduct extensive research about recent sales in the area to help figure out the right price. Knowing the market conditions helps sellers set the right price and expectations.

 

The ideal market for a seller is obviously a seller’s market because the demand is high where there aren’t enough homes being sold; thus, you gain more control of the price rather than you being controlled by the buyers in choosing the right price for your home.

 

FAQs

Q: How do I know when to adjust the price of my home?
A: If your house hasn’t been getting enough interaction for 3-4 weeks.

Q: Should I stage my home?
A: Yes, potential buyers want to know how they can use the space.

Q: What happens if I don’t do repairs before listing?
A: It will make the home harder to sell or lower the price you get.