Checklist For Selling A House: 15 Things To Do

Selling your house is often a bittersweet experience, but it can also be a daunting one. To ensure things run as smoothly as possible, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process — including details on what needs to be done before the property gets listed, as well as after you accept an offer. We’ve put together a checklist of things home sellers should do before, during and after the sale, to help you prepare and know what to expect throughout the transaction.

5 things to do before you list your home

Hire a real estate agent

One of the very first things you should do before selling your house is to hire a real estate agent. “They can help navigate the entire process, from pricing your home and preparing it for sale to entering it in the MLS and marketing your property,” says agent Leah Gray of Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties in Colorado.

If you don’t already have someone in mind, try asking local friends or family members for recommendations. Don’t be afraid to interview a few candidates and ask a lot of questions before you decide which one to hire — you want someone well-versed in your local market who has the experience to help you every step of the way.

Focus on curb appeal

When a potential buyer arrives to tour your house, the first thing they will see is the outside. That’s why it’s smart to put some thought into your curb appeal before listing the place on the market. Making your home feel more welcoming doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, though. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

• Repaint your front door
• Power wash the windows and exterior
• Mow the lawn and spruce up the landscaping
• Replace or repaint the mailbox

Clean up the interior

You may not mind living in organized chaos, but it’s not the best look for house-hunters. Spend some time decluttering, tidying and cleaning the interior before potential buyers come in. While major renovations usually aren’t recommended, cosmetic fixes like touching up peeling or cracking paint certainly can’t hurt.

Go through your belongings and throw away or donate things you no longer need or use. Don’t be tempted to just shove things out of sight — buyers will open up closets and peek into basements and attics to get a sense of how much storage room is available. You may even want to look into renting a storage unit to stash away extra stuff until you’re ready to move to your new place.

Remove personal items on display

As you’re tidying your home, it’s a good idea to remove personal items that might distract a buyer or impact them in a negative way. This includes anything with religious or political connotations, and even family portraits.

“A buyer needs to picture your home as their home,” says Gray. “A few personal items are OK, but put away what you can, so buyers can see it as a blank slate and a place they can call home.”

While you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to make sure any valuable items or potentially sensitive documents, like financial statements or jewelry, are put away and out of sight.

Think about staging

If you don’t have a sharp eye for interior design, consider hiring a professional to stage your home. A stager will choose furniture pieces and decor to make your home more appealing to home shoppers. Staging your home isn’t free, but it may be the key to selling faster or for more money. Your real estate agent might even be able to recommend someone.

3 things to do while your home is on the market

Stay in touch with your agent

Once your home is officially listed for sale and potential buyers are starting to schedule viewings, it’s important to stay in touch with your real estate agent. Be clear about your hopes and expectations. If you’re no longer living in the house, you probably won’t be notified about every single showing. However, your agent should keep you in the loop about how many inquiries, showings and offers are coming in.

Be flexible

Most homes don’t sell in the blink of an eye. Keep an open line of communication with your agent and listen to their advice if things aren’t going as you’d hoped — say, if the home lingers on the market for longer than you thought it would. Be flexible in considering potential price changes or new marketing tactics that your agent thinks might help.

Keep your home clean

If you are still living in your home while it’s on the market, it’s extremely important to keep things as clean as possible. Potential buyers may schedule tours at the last minute, which won’t give you much time to tidy up beforehand, and it can be hard for them to see past someone else’s mess.

“Keeping your home clean and well-maintained will make things much easier when it comes time to sell,” says Gray. Otherwise, she notes, you may find that potential buyers ask for repairs to be made.

3 things to do after accepting an offer

Sign the purchase agreement

When you formally accept a buyer’s offer, it’s time to sign the purchase agreement. This is a legal contract that both buyer and seller sign outlining the terms and conditions of the sale. Both your agent and your buyer’s agent will go through it carefully to make sure it contains all necessary clauses and contingencies. Before signing, be sure to review everything with your agent, and possibly a real estate attorney as well, to make sure it’s accurate.

Address contingencies

It’s common for a buyer to agree to a purchase only if certain conditions are met. For example, they might ask that you replace a broken appliance or fix an area with water damage. If these contingencies are written into your purchase agreement, you must address them before the sale can close. If agreed-upon contingencies are not met, the buyer will have legal grounds to walk away from the deal.

Start packing up

If you’re still living in the home, now’s the time to start packing up your belongings. Unless your buyer is paying all-cash, the closing process can take a month or two, so you’ll have a good amount of time to organize before you need to be out of the house.

4 things to do before closing

Get your documents together

To prepare for the closing, you’ll probably be asked to gather some house-related paperwork. Here are some of the documents you should be prepared with:

• Documentation confirming repairs were made
• Garage door openers and codes
• Cashier’s check (if you are paying for a portion of the buyer’s closing costs)
• Utility bills
• Property tax documents
• Warranties for home appliances or home warranty
• Instructions for operating smart-home features or security systems

Although less common, there are other documents a buyer may want to see ahead of the closing. These may include things like surveys, inspection reports, water quality reports and even radon tests.

“As a seller, you are typically required to share [all] documents you have in your possession,” says Gray. Work with your agent to ensure all relevant documents are handy and ready for review ahead of closing.

Hire a cleaning crew

After all your belongings are boxed up and out of the house, consider hiring a professional cleaning crew. In the purchase agreement, sellers are generally required to make the home “broom clean” before officially vacating. That means vacuuming, sweeping, mopping and dusting, as well as things like cleaning out the refrigerator.

“Most buyers will ask you to leave your home in a professionally clean condition, including carpets,” says Gray. “Once you know the date of closing, go ahead and get this scheduled for a few days beforehand.”

Have the final walk-through

It’s customary for buyers to do a final walk-through of the property just before the closing date. This allows them to confirm that all promised repairs were made and that the house is in the condition they expected. The buyer can test appliances and home systems, open and close all doors, etc. As the seller, you don’t need to be present for the final walk-through, but you do need to make sure the house is ready.

Shut off utilities

Once you’ve moved out, don’t forget to shut off the utilities, Wi-Fi and cancel any subscriptions. This is especially important if the home will sit empty for a while before the new owner moves in. Contact your gas, water, sewer, electrical and cable/internet companies and terminate your service, or have the service transferred to your new place. The new homeowner will be responsible for setting up their own utilities when they move in.

Bottom line

Selling your home is a big decision and often a lengthy process. Keep in mind that even in a seller’s market, homes are not guaranteed to sell quickly. A lot will depend on your house’s condition, your area’s local housing market and your listing price.

Throughout the process, stay up-to-date with your real estate agent, be flexible to make changes as needed and be patient. Understanding what the process entails, and checking off your accomplishments as you go, can help your home sale be smooth and successful.

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Rivelli