Everything you need to know about putting your home on the market, accepting an offer, and closing on your home.
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.
What is important to you in selling your home? Once we understand your goals and priorities, we’ll create a tailored plan to achieve them.
We’ll guide you on exactly what your ideal buyer wants. Make a lasting first impression—make repairs, add strategic upgrades, declutter, depersonalize, and deep clean to showcase your home at its best!
Staging isn't just a nice touch - it's a money move. Homes that are staged almost always sell for more.
Pricing your home right is key to a successful sale. Spark a little FOMO—set the right price to attract top dollar and the best terms!
Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over. I 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.
Once I deem the offer is acceptable, I 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.
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, I 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.
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. I 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 real estate agent 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.
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.
Looking for an agent to handle an estate sale, my brother and I did some extensive research to find realtors in Northern Virginia that could provide full service since we we were coordinating from out of town. After reading the...
When my husband and I were interviewing realtors to sell our home, Deborah and Michelle were the only ones who really listened to us. They advised us on exactly what we needed to do to show our home and staged it beautifully. T...
After seeing Deborah Davis of The Pearl Team in action at a walk through for my daughter Caitlin's purchase, I was extremely impressed and knew she would be the Realtor for me! What I liked best about working with Deborah was I...
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We met Deborah with The Pearl Team at an Open House in a neighborhood where we wanted to buy a home. She was warm, engaging, and had an energy about her. I knew she would be a good fit for us to find a home. Come to find out, s...
Laurie was hosting an Open House in the building where I was living. I was curious, so I checked it out. Laurie was happy to chat with me about the real estate market and the wonderful amenities in the building. I mentioned tha...
After living in our home for 35 years and buying a new one in another state, we wanted expert advice to help us sell our home. We talked with several agents, but we were most impressed with Laurie Perl and Deborah Davis of The ...
I have known Laurie Perl for 33 years! She was the architect for my custom home that I truly loved. Fast-forward 22 years, Laurie, now a Realtor with "architect-extraordinaire" in her hip pocket, helped me down-size to a smalle...
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