Rice Properties Group prides itself on guiding you through an 11 step process for selling your home. We have in-depth experience with every step and are always working side by side with all parties involved to ensure a smooth transaction and successful closing!
1. Strategize Price
It’s important to price your home correctly if you want to sell quickly and for top dollar. Price your home too high, and you’re at risk of wasting the crucial first days your home is on the market. To price your home correctly, you should objectively compare your home to recent sales in your neighborhood and check how the local market is performing. Rice Properties Group will provide all of this data to you and explain what it means so that you can make an informed decision on price.
2. Prepare Your Home to Sell
You’re going to want your home to present itself in the best possible light when buyers check it out. Make sure to declutter your house and pack up everything you can, clean it from top to bottom, and go about making any necessary fixes and repairs. A fresh coat of neutral paint and new carpeting and flooring goes a long way in making a great first impression without breaking the budget. We have great vendor resources that can assist with these jobs!
3. Market Your Home
Professional, high quality photographs are critical to selling your home! Rice Properties Group has an in-house photographer and videographer on our team that produces phenomenal photos and videos. If you list with us, the cost of this service is included. Since these services are all in house, scheduling the shoot is flexible and fits in your schedule. Turnaround time is quick, which enables us to easily market your home on social media and real estate websites. We’ll also order a “For Sale” sign to be installed so that passerby and neighbors know your home is on the market!
4. Advertise Your Home on the MLS
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is where you officially declare to the world that you are ready to sell your home! We’ll load your photos, video, and a detailed property description to the MLS, which will broadcast out to all the most popular real estate sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Trulia.
5. Active Listing
Once your home is Active on the MLS, buyers that are interested in your home will request a tour to see it in person. This can be a hectic time, as everyone living in the home, including pets, will have to vacate during the showings. It is a good idea to share your schedule with RPG so we can plan accordingly.
6. Review & Accept The Offer
With our pricing strategies and marketing, you should expect an offer (or two!) within the first week of listing. Rice Properties Group will present each offer as they come in and go over the key points that may affect your bottom line.
7. Home Inspection
If the offer you accept includes a home inspection, the buyers will schedule an in-depth report on the condition of your home. Depending on the terms of the contract, the buyer may request repairs that must be completed before settlement. Rice Properties Group will negotiate on your behalf what kind of repairs, if any, you will accomplish. We have a list of trusted professionals that can often get these items repaired with minimal hassle to you.
8. Appraisal
The lender will almost always order an appraisal of your home to ensure it is accurately valued at offer price. It is important that your home shines in the best possible light, so prepare the home as if for a showing!
9. Title & Loan
uring this whole process, the lender works on an extensive review of the buyer’s finances to determine if they financially qualify for their loan. Meanwhile, the closing agent, or Title Company, conducts a search on the title of your home to ensure there are no legal hurdles standing in the way of your home sale, such as property lien. Please be prepared to provide the closing agent with any information they request so that they can prepare the closing paperwork in a timely manner.
10. Final Walkthrough
Your closing date is a hard move-out deadline, unless you and the buyer have agreed to a seller’s post-occupancy period. Otherwise, you will need to have everything out of the property by closing. The buyers will conduct a final walkthrough just before closing to make sure the home is in the same condition, clean and free of debris.
11. Closing
As the seller, you can choose to sign your documents a few days before the contract settlement date. Rice Properties Group will assist in ensuring the closing agent has all of the necessary paperwork and will coordinate scheduling your closing so that your signing is quick and easy!
