Helpful Ideas for Selling Your Home
for the months before you list
Plain steps for the months before you list, whether you hire an agent or sell the house yourself. The numbers in the tools come from you.
- By stageFrom prep through moving.
- Your numbersTools use only what you type.
- Rules varyThis is not legal or real-estate advice.
By stage
Prep and repairs
Walk the property, then fix what has to work before you spend on finish.
Staging
Clear rooms so a buyer can see the house, not the stuff in it.
Pricing
Compare this property with sold homes, then write the net you will accept.
Listing photos
Use daylight, turn the lights on, and photograph the work you finished.
Agent or FSBO
List the jobs in a sale, then decide who will do each one.
Offers and negotiation
Read credits and dates with the price, and answer before a deadline passes.
Closing
Build the file early and check the house again before the final visit.
Moving
Book the truck after the date is real, and label boxes by room.
Tools
Calculators use only the numbers you enter.
Net proceeds
Price minus payoff, commissions, costs, credits, and repairs.
Commission comparison
Full service, FSBO with a buyer agent, and FSBO paying neither.
What to fix first
Rank projects by the cost and value you enter.
Prep checklist
A list you can print and check off.
Room by room
Tick off prep tasks. Progress stays in this browser.
Curb appeal
Small jobs outside, with a cost tag and a time guess.
When sales closed
A monthly chart of published US existing-home sales.
Myth or fact
Common selling claims, and the plain version.
From the library
Answer an offer in writing
Send a written yes, no, or counter, even when you already talked it through.
Ask who pays for requested repairs
When a buyer asks for a repair, write the cost and who pays it before you agree.
Book the move after the closing date is real
Wait for a contract date, then book the truck with a written backup plan.
Build the closing folder before you have a buyer
Collect payoff contacts, receipts, and a wire-check plan before you are under contract.
Questions
How early should I start?
This site is written for the one to six months before you list. Start with a walk-through and a repair list. The week you list depends on the work you choose and the dates in your contract.
Can I sell without an agent?
Yes. You still need disclosures, a way to show the home, and someone to review the contract. The agent-or-FSBO tips list the jobs. They do not tell you which choice is better.
Where do the calculator numbers come from?
Only from what you type. Commission rates, fees, repair costs, and expected values are yours. The site does not fill in a typical rate.
Do you rank areas?
No. Tips talk about the property and the transaction.
How do sponsors and ads work?
Paid placements are labeled Sponsored and stay hidden until they are approved. Ads load only after you accept cookies, and only if a publisher id is configured. Affiliate links stay off unless that flag is turned on, and they carry a disclosure.