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 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 real estate agent once you choose one so he or she can adjust your selling price accordingly.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Answers to common questions about preparing your home for the market, utilizing Compass Concierge, and navigating a seamless, stress-free sale.
The best way is to take it one step at a time, with a trusted partner by your side. I always tell my empty-nester clients that we don't have to do everything in a weekend. I help you create a realistic timeline. We bring in organizers, figure out what to keep or donate, and slowly transition your space. I am incredibly hands-on because I know how emotional it is to pack up 30 years of memories.
Compass Concierge is an incredible tool that allows you to maximize your home's sale price without any upfront out-of-pocket costs. Compass fronts the cost for cosmetic services like staging, deep cleaning, fresh painting, and minor renovations. You simply pay it back out of the proceeds at closing, with no hidden fees or interest. It completely removes the financial stress of getting a home "market-ready."
A fresh coat of neutral paint, refinished hardwood floors, and professional staging provide the highest return on investment. Upgraded lighting fixtures and modernizing cabinet hardware in the kitchen can also dramatically change the feel of a home. We don't want to do major gut renovations before selling; we want to create a clean, bright, turnkey canvas that buyers from the city can easily envision themselves in.
City buyers are looking for a lifestyle, not just a house. We highlight the community as much as the property. I ensure the photography and videography capture the natural light and the flow of the home. In the marketing copy, we emphasize the exact details NYC buyers care about: the short walk to the Metro-North, the local school proximity, the vibrant downtown dining scenes, and the community feel of the Sound Shore.
While the spring market (typically starting in late February and running through May) is traditionally very active in the Sound Shore communities, the reality is that qualified buyers are looking year-round. Because housing inventory across Westchester remains consistently tight, listing in the fall or winter can often yield exceptional results with less competing inventory on the market. Rather than waiting for a specific calendar month, the best time to list is when your property is fully prepared and aligns with your personal timeline. We will look at hyper-local market data together to choose the exact launch window that maximizes your return.
New York is an "attorney state," which means the transaction process has specific legal milestones. Once an offer is accepted, we typically spend 7 to 14 days completing home inspections, finalizing terms, and having attorneys draft the formal contract of sale. Once the contract is fully signed, it generally takes 60 to 90 days to reach the closing table if the buyer is securing a mortgage, or approximately 30 days for a cash transaction. I stay in constant communication with your legal team, the buyer's agent, and inspectors to keep every detail on schedule.
Yes, I always recommend that sellers step out during open houses and private buyer tours. Prospective buyers feel much more comfortable opening closets, exploring rooms, and speaking candidly about their spatial needs when the owner isn't present. It allows them to objectively evaluate the layout and imagine how their own belongings would fit. You can feel completely confident knowing that I personally oversee access, ensure your home and pets are respected, and handle every showing with white-glove care.
