You’ve decided to sell your house sometime in the near future. But there’s a lot that needs to happen between now and that bittersweet moment when you hand over the keys. To keep your stress levels to a minimum, it’s essential to know the basics of how to sell a house. Whether you’re a first-timer or simply need to brush up on home-selling 101, you may be searching for clarity on what to repair before selling and when to contact a Realtor. You also have to figure out how to set an asking price, how long it will take to get an offer, and when your buyers will move in. You’ll find the answer to that and more here. Let’s review how to sell a house in 10 steps.
According to Marc Austin Highfill, a real estate agent who has helped sell more than 2,000 properties in the Richmond, Virginia, area, sellers should decide when they want to close, and then set milestone goals between now and that endpoint. “What I have found works best is to work a timeline backward,” he says. “We ask, ‘When do they want to move out of the house?’ That means looking at when they want to move. Then it’s when they need to be under contract, and then when we need to be actively listed.” Review the rough estimates above to get a ballpark idea of how long it takes to sell a house. Then, look at your own personal circumstances, decide how much preparation you’ll need, and work with your agent to lay out a plan from there. The typical home sale often requires around two to three weeks of preparation, and two to four weeks listed on the market. However, those timelines can change based on the seller’s goals and personal situation, as well as your local housing market conditions.1. Pick a move-out date and work backward
Typical timeline
Downsizing
Sell for cash
Listing prep
2-3 weeks
6-12 months
None
Time on market
2-4 weeks
2-4 weeks
None
Time to close
5-6 weeks
5-6 weeks
1 to 3 weeks
Total time
2.5-3.5 months
8-15 months
1 to 3 weeks
