Search

Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. I will be in touch with you shortly.

Explore Properties
welcome to my

Seller's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Seller's Guide

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.​​​​​​​

Default Image

Step 1: Understand Why You're Selling

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.

Default Image

Step 2: Determine Selling Price

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.

Default Image

Step 3: Start Preparations

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.

Default Image

Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

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.

Default Image

Step 5: Evaluate Offers

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.

Default Image

Step 6: Accept an Offer

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.

Default Image

Step 7: Get Ready to Close

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.

Default Image

Step 8: Close

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.

Congratulations!

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.

Testimonials

Success Stories

"I’m incredibly pleased with the service I received from Kathryn and her team in her assistance of my clients home purchase. The home buying process can be daunting, especially for investors - but her entire team was fantastic every step of the way. I was happy to refer her to my buyers. From finding potential properties to helping negotiate an ideal contract, they were always available and communicated how each part of the whole process would move forward. They also understood the housing market in the area, which allowed us to get an incredible deal that exceeded the expectations of the buyers. The strategic negotiations for a new roof and a short timeline for closing were helpful to make it a great transaction for both sides. Beyond their expertise and professionalism, the team was amicable and kind throughout the home buying process. They answered all the buyer questions about the property with in-depth explanations, ensuring they fully understood what was going on, when and why it was necessary. I’m so glad we had the chance to work together. Their knowledge and experience, combined with their patient approach, made this transaction a smooth and successful process. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for top-notch real estate services!"
"I’m incredibly pleased with the service I received from Kathryn and her team in her assistance of my clients home purchase. The home buying process can be daunting, especially for investors - but her entire team was fantastic every step of the way. I was happy to refer her to my buyers. From finding potential properties to helping negotiate an ideal contract, they were always available and communicated how each part of the whole process would move forward. They also understood the housing market in the area, which allowed us to get an incredible deal that exceeded the expectations of the buyers. The strategic negotiations for a new roof and a short timeline for closing were helpful to make it a great transaction for both sides. Beyond their expertise and professionalism, the team was amicable and kind throughout the home buying process. They answered all the buyer questions about the property with in-depth explanations, ensuring they fully understood what was going on, when and why it was necessary. I’m so glad we had the chance to work together. Their knowledge and experience, combined with their patient approach, made this transaction a smooth and successful process. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for top-notch real estate services!"
Cheryl B.
"Kathryn's attentiveness and punctuality are crucial when selling a house. This ensures a smooth process and timely communication with potential buyers. Their ability to provide excellent advice is invaluable. From pricing strategies to staging tips, their guidance can make a significant difference in the success of selling a house. Knowing that Kathryn has your best interests at heart can provide peace of mind during the stressful process. This trust is essential in a successful real estate partnership! Thanks for making this such a wonderful experience!"
"Kathryn's attentiveness and punctuality are crucial when selling a house. This ensures a smooth process and timely communication with potential buyers. Their ability to provide excellent advice is invaluable. From pricing strategies to staging tips, their guidance can make a significant difference in the success of selling a house. Knowing that Kathryn has your best interests at heart can provide peace of mind during the stressful process. This trust is essential in a successful real estate partnership! Thanks for making this such a wonderful experience!"
Jessica G.
"Kathryn stayed on top of any issues that came up, and were always quick to reply to any calls I made with questions. So many others are bad about returning calls. It really made the difference in my comfort level to have calls returned in a timely manner. Other than that, she were knowledgeable and able to explain anything I had questions about, or get answers from the sellers realtor. Great job."
"Kathryn stayed on top of any issues that came up, and were always quick to reply to any calls I made with questions. So many others are bad about returning calls. It really made the difference in my comfort level to have calls returned in a timely manner. Other than that, she were knowledgeable and able to explain anything I had questions about, or get answers from the sellers realtor. Great job."
Buyer | Seller
"We couldn't be more pleased about our experience working with Kathryn. Her entire team was outstanding and made the selling process incredibly smooth for us. The communication was excellent from beginning to end. And, she has a gift for bringing a sense of calmness to what can be a very stressful experience. We would 100% recommend this team to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Thank you Kathryn!"
"We couldn't be more pleased about our experience working with Kathryn. Her entire team was outstanding and made the selling process incredibly smooth for us. The communication was excellent from beginning to end. And, she has a gift for bringing a sense of calmness to what can be a very stressful experience. We would 100% recommend this team to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Thank you Kathryn!"
Carrie Lavalley
"Kathryn is a terrific agent. She was patient, kind, responsive and extremely knowledgeable. We had not bought/sold a house in over 30 years so the process was pretty shocking. She led us through all the necessary steps and were there every step of the way."
"Kathryn is a terrific agent. She was patient, kind, responsive and extremely knowledgeable. We had not bought/sold a house in over 30 years so the process was pretty shocking. She led us through all the necessary steps and were there every step of the way."
Julie C.
"Kathryn is professional, thorough, and genuinely caring. She will guide you through the home-buying process with expertise and dedication, ensuring the best possible experience!"
"Kathryn is professional, thorough, and genuinely caring. She will guide you through the home-buying process with expertise and dedication, ensuring the best possible experience!"
Marty C.
"I highly recommend Kathryn to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and experienced real estate professional. She has a great eye for details in a home and truly knows the local market inside and out. Beyond her expertise, she is dedicated to giving back to the community, which speaks volumes about her character and values. I appreciate her professionalism and the trust she places in me by referring clients. If you’re looking for a realtor who not only understands real estate but also genuinely cares about people, Kathryn is the one to call!"
"I highly recommend Kathryn to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and experienced real estate professional. She has a great eye for details in a home and truly knows the local market inside and out. Beyond her expertise, she is dedicated to giving back to the community, which speaks volumes about her character and values. I appreciate her professionalism and the trust she places in me by referring clients. If you’re looking for a realtor who not only understands real estate but also genuinely cares about people, Kathryn is the one to call!"
Rena S.
"Kathryn made our first home-buying experience absolutely wonderful and stress-free. She was always accessible throughout the entire process—whether by text, phone, or email. Even when we felt like we were asking silly questions, Kathryn was incredibly patient and took the time to answer everything thoroughly. I cannot recommend her enough! She made us feel comfortable and helped us navigate the complexities of home buying with ease."
"Kathryn made our first home-buying experience absolutely wonderful and stress-free. She was always accessible throughout the entire process—whether by text, phone, or email. Even when we felt like we were asking silly questions, Kathryn was incredibly patient and took the time to answer everything thoroughly. I cannot recommend her enough! She made us feel comfortable and helped us navigate the complexities of home buying with ease."
Jess M.
"Kathryn was simply amazing from the first time we met. Gave us great feedback to help us both sell our home and purchase our forever home. Excellent communication and response when we needed her to answer questions, and always positive. I would recommend Kathryn to anyone I knew was in the process of either buying, selling or both."
"Kathryn was simply amazing from the first time we met. Gave us great feedback to help us both sell our home and purchase our forever home. Excellent communication and response when we needed her to answer questions, and always positive. I would recommend Kathryn to anyone I knew was in the process of either buying, selling or both."
Vickie R.

Follow Me On Instagram