One common question we receive from clients considering selling is how long it takes to go on the market, and what gets accomplished during that pre-listing process. This is broken down into a few general steps. The timeline can be as short as 2-3 weeks, or it may take longer depending on the situation of the seller. A home that has been lived in for 30 years may take longer from the initial conversations of selling to really get organized and prepared for the next move, but ultimately our vendors are ready to help and we can work with our seller’s timeframes and help facilitate the transition. 

We’ve talked about selling strategy in other blogs, but to review, some sellers prefer an as-is sale rather than making repairs to the home before going on the market, others would prefer to make some of the repairs themselves or do some cosmetic touch up before going on the market, or finding a balance in between. In any case, we do recommend presenting the home with a couple of inspections that don’t cost very much. It’s the best way to present a home to a buyer. 

Marketing

Our marketing package is not just the beautiful photos and materials – it includes the full disclosure packet with inspections and disclosures allowing a serious buyer to review the property carefully so that if they choose to make an offer, they can do so with confidence. We encourage sellers to start the disclosures early in the process so that when buyers express interest we can quickly provide the disclosure package. We also encourage inspections to be done before going on the market. We’ll get the inspector on the calendar for an appointment within 2-3 weeks, and then it takes a couple of days to receive the report. In the meantime, we are working on other pre-listing steps such as photography, staging, and disclosures. Photography takes just a few days to get an appointment, and then we take a day to review photos and select the best ones for the digital presentation. 

Staging

Staging starts with the question of whether or not you as the seller will be living in the home or if you will be moving prior to selling. If you plan to live in the home, staging will be less necessary since your belongings will be in the home. If you are vacating, staging could be advantageous. It takes a couple of weeks to get the appointment and get fully staged, but this too can be coordinated very early in the process so that everything comes together quickly. 

Paperwork

The listing agreement is not terribly arduous, and can be reviewed and discussed with our team once you decide you would like to sell. 

The pre-listing process, with proper guidance, can be very well organized and efficient. The difficult questions that might be holding you back from selling during a great market are worth a conversation to see what we can do to help. Feel free to reach out to us at Team@TheHeinrichTeam.com