There are some timelines in real estate that can’t be known ahead of time.  Exactly how long it will take to sell a home is one of them.  As a Locust Grove REALTOR ®, I would love to be able to tell my clients that in exactly xx amount of days, they will receive an offer.  In the meantime, while I await my Amazon order with a crystal ball, I can help sellers develop a timeline for preparing their homes for the market and provide them with information about current market conditions that will help them develop realistic expectations around the home selling process. Homes enter the market move in ready are the most appealing to buyers and the ones that sell faster or on track with the average days on the market for the area.

If you are thinking about selling your home in Locust Grove or elsewhere, then use this timeline to help you start prepping your house for the home selling process.  Of course, you may need to adjust this timeline according to your personal situation, but it is important to keep in mind that the more time you give yourself, the better.

Two Months Before Listing

What to do

Hire a Locust Grove REALTOR ®  Finding someone to represent you in the sale of your home is a big deal.  Take time to find a real estate agent that you feel will best represent you in the process.  Here are some questions you can ask.

Finalize Listing Date  With some guidance from your Locust Grove REALTOR ®, you can determine exactly when you want to list your home.  Your agent may give you suggestions on when to list depending on your needs.  For example, does your new job’s start date impact when you need to move?  Do you need to move sooner than expected?

Plan for photographs  With your agent, select a date for when professional pictures (the ones that will be posted online) will be completed.  This gives you a deadline for when your home needs to be organized, decluttered, and picture ready.

Four to Eight Weeks Before Listing

Four to eight weeks out from when your home hits the market may feel like a while away, but it will pass quickly.  It is important that your home is ready for buyers to see it as soon as the house is listed, so now is the time to really focus on making your home as appealing to buyers as possible.

What to do

Declutter, Organize, and Pack  Working your way through each room in home, determine what you want to keep, donate, and trash.  Start packing up seasonal items that you won’t need.  Don’t forget about closets!  Storage space is valuable in homes, so make sure to declutter and organize these areas too.

Make Known Repairs   Repair any known issues in your home like a dripping faucet or broken window.  Why?  A home inspector will find it and you will most likely need to fix it.  

Cosmetic Touch Ups  When you met with your Locust Grove REALTOR ®, you may have been given some suggestions for how to make your home look its best.  Whether it was painting a wall or replacing some flooring, now is the time to complete these changes.

Two to Four Weeks Before Listing

It’s time to compete at home improvement projects that you have been working on and get your home ready for showings.

What to do

Staging Now that you have decluttered, you can focus on staging your home for sale.  It’s important to remember that staging a home is different from how you might live in it.  The staging suggestions your Locust Grove REALTOR ® made are meant to make the house as appealing as possible to the largest group of buyers.  

Here are some staging suggestions for the different rooms in your home:

Living Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Primary Bedroom

Basement

Child’s Bedroom

Bathroom

Plan for Showings  It’s not always easy to get out of your home for showings when you’ve got pets or children.  Make a plan for your family about what you will do when showings pop up unexpectedly.  Where will the pets go?  What happens if a request comes in too close to bedtime?  Talk to you Locust Grove REALTOR ® about any times or days that won’t work for showings.

Week Before Your Home Goes on the Market

It’s almost time!  This week will be busy, so you will be thankful for all the work you did ahead of time.

What to Do

Photographs  A professional photographer will take pictures and/or video of your home for marketing purposes.  The day before this happens, make sure to wipe down any surfaces, have the beds made, and tuck away all the things that gather on bathroom vanities, kitchen counters, and tables.

Sign Listing Agreement  Even though you met a few months ago, you will most likely sign your listing agreement with your Locust Grove REALTOR ® this week.  Ask your agent if the market value of your home has changed between the time you met and today.  This can happen since the housing market is fluid.  Finalize your listing price.  Read your contract carefully and ask any questions about it.

Read Your Listing  All agents write listing descriptions of homes for sale that are shared with the public.  Make sure to read the listing description of your home.  If there are any home features that you have added or would like to appear in the description, then let your agent know.

Be Ready for Showings  It is important to maintain the cleanliness of your home for showings.  Since you have already done the hard work, plan to keep up with a daily spruce and weekly clean.  Your Locust Grove REALTOR ® will also share with you how to accept showing requests digitally.