Selling your home isn’t as simple as a signed offer. It’s a progression of steps. At times it might be frustrating, but when you seal the deal and are ready to move on to the next chapter–wow, that’s a great feeling! Below we detail the process you can expect when selling your Tuscaloosa home.
- Prepare your home for market- During our listing appointment we will give you specific advice for getting your home market ready. Taking these steps will contribute to a successful sale. Check out our guide getting your home in swoon-worthy condition.
- Decide on listing price- Before we ever step foot in your house, we do our research. We pull comparable homes that have recently sold and homes in your community that are currently on the market. When we meet with you we will discuss your real estate goals and listen to what is important to you in the sales process. Together we will agree on a listing price.
- Put home on the market- Once the listing paperwork has been signed, we hire a photographer to take professional pictures of your home. Once those are received, we will put your home on the market and begin advertising your listing.
- Show your home to potential buyers- If you stay in your home during the sales process, you will need to approve showings. When a prospective buyer would like to see your home with their agent, you will get a showing request. If the day and time works for you, you will accept the request and if not, you can decline the showing and the agent will reschedule.
- Review offers and negotiate- Whether you receive one offer or many, we will walk you through them weighing the pros and cons. Generally, you will accept an offer or make a counter offer. We will negotiate until an agreement can be reached or you and the buyer decide to walk away from the deal.
- Sign a contract- Once the agreed upon contract has been fully executed by buyer and seller, then the listing will go from active to pending in MLS. While this is a big step, your house is not yet sold.
- Negotiate repairs- Most purchase agreements are contingent on a home inspection (plus an appraisal, which will be managed by the buyer’s lender). The buyer will more than likely come back with a list a repair requests. Repairs will be negotiated and will need to be completed before closing. Should you not come to an agreement on repairs, the buyer may choose to void the contract, as long as everything was done within the time restrictions in the contract.
- Removal of contingencies and final approval on buyer financing- In some cases, a buyer may need to close on the sale of an existing home before they can purchase yours. This is referred to as a contingency sale. This contingency will need to be fulfilled or removed to perfect your contract with the buyer. Additionally, the buyer will need final loan approval from their lender (unless they are paying cash for your home) before closing.
- Close the sale- Closing is the last step in the selling process. After the buyers have completed a final walk through of your home, you’ll sign the paperwork and collect your check!
When you are ready to sell your home, give us a call! We have helped hundreds of Tuscaloosa families sell their homes, and are confident we can take you from contract to close.