Tips
Notes from the library.
Answer an offer in writing
Offers and negotiation. Send a written yes, no, or counter, even when you already talked it through.
Ask who pays for requested repairs
Offers and negotiation. 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
Moving. Wait for a contract date, then book the truck with a written backup plan.
Build the closing folder before you have a buyer
Closing. Collect payoff contacts, receipts, and a wire-check plan before you are under contract.
Carry the closing papers with you
Moving. Keep the signed settlement set in your car, not in a box on the truck.
Check your name against your ID
Closing. Read the name on the deed papers and make sure it matches the identification you will bring.
Clear surfaces before you add anything
Staging. Empty counters and floors do more for a showing than extra decor.
Clear the gutters before showings
Prep and repairs. Empty the gutters and check that downspouts send water away from the foundation.
Close lids and hide trash cans
Listing photos. Shut toilet lids, tuck trash cans into cabinets, and clear the edge of every tub.
Compare net and dates before you counter
Offers and negotiation. Put each offer on one row and counter the gap in your net.
Decide who answers buyer questions
Agent or FSBO. Name the person who will reply, and decide that replies go in writing.
Delete blurry frames the same day
Listing photos. Review the set before you upload it, and drop any frame that is dark, tilted, or soft.
Finish the entry before the rest of the house
Staging. The front door and entry are the first rooms a visitor stands in. Finish those before the back closets.
Fix function before you spend on finish
Prep and repairs. Repair leaks, heat, and latches before you buy paint.
Forward the mail before you leave
Moving. File the mail forward in time for it to start on your possession date.
Gather keys and openers in one envelope
Closing. Put every key, garage opener, and gate code in one labeled envelope before closing day.
Keep price notes in writing
Pricing. After each pricing talk, write the price, the net, and what you decided.
Label boxes by the room they go to
Moving. Name the room on two sides of every box and keep a first-night box with you.
Learn which forms you must use
Agent or FSBO. Before you advertise, ask which seller forms your state expects and where to get them.
Leave a clear path through each room
Staging. Move chairs and baskets so a visitor can walk in, turn around, and see the floor.
Leave closets partly empty
Staging. Take out enough clothes and boxes that a visitor can see the rod and the floor.
Leave room to answer a real offer
Pricing. Set the list price with room for a credit and still hit your net.
Leave utility numbers for the final reading
Closing. Write the account numbers and schedule the final readings for the possession date.
List credits before you pick a price
Pricing. Write the repairs and concessions you already expect, then see what they do to your net.
List the jobs before you pick who does them
Agent or FSBO. Write every job in a sale, then decide who will do it and what it costs you.
List what stays before you sign
Offers and negotiation. Write the appliances, fixtures, and window coverings that stay, and the items you will take.
Match the move-out date to the contract
Closing. Read the date you must be out, and book the move to finish before that day.
Match what was included in a sold home
Pricing. Before you compare a sold price, write what that sale included and what yours includes.
Measure doors before you book a truck
Moving. Measure the sofa, the mattress, and the narrowest doorway before you reserve a truck.
Move cars before the photo appointment
Listing photos. Clear the driveway and the curb in front of the house so the photo shows the property.
Open the window coverings the same way
Staging. Raise every shade to the same height so the light looks even from room to room.
Pack a first-week kitchen box
Moving. Fill one box with the pan, mugs, soap, and towels you will want before the rest is unpacked.
Pack personal items before the first showing
Staging. Box photos, mail, and papers so the rooms show the house.
Photograph the empty rooms on the last day
Moving. Take a photo of each empty room, plus the meter readings, before you lock the door.
Photograph the work you finished
Listing photos. Give finished repairs their own clear photo, and lead with the front of the house.
Plan showing hours before you advertise
Agent or FSBO. Choose the days and hours you can leave the house, and write them down before the first call.
Price the hours you will spend
Agent or FSBO. Write the tasks you would take on, then estimate the hours before you decide to sell it yourself.
Price the property you have
Pricing. Compare sold homes that match this property, then write the net you will accept.
Put pet gear away before showings
Staging. Move bowls, beds, and litter out of sight, and air the rooms they sat in.
Questions to answer if you sell it yourself
Agent or FSBO. Forms, showings, and offer review are still yours if you sell without an agent.
Read the settlement statement when it arrives
Closing. Check the price, credits, and payoff on the statement the day you receive it.
Read the whole offer before you answer the price
Offers and negotiation. Credits, dates, and contingencies change the money more than the headline price.
Replace cracked caulk before photo day
Prep and repairs. Cracked caulk shows up in close photos. Replace it while the repair list is still short.
Rerun the net after each repair bid
Pricing. When a written bid arrives, put that number in the calculator before you agree to the work.
Run the heat and the cooling before showings
Prep and repairs. Turn each system on, listen for a short cycle, and change a dirty filter.
Save every counter you send
Offers and negotiation. Keep a copy of each counter in one folder, in the order you sent them.
Shoot in the order a visitor walks
Listing photos. Start at the street, then move through the house in the order someone would walk it.
Split price from the closing date
Offers and negotiation. When you counter, change the price on one line and the closing date on another.
Stop after one simple table setting
Staging. A plain setting on the table is enough. Extra decor on every surface works against you.
Take listing photos in daylight with the lights on
Listing photos. Open the shades, turn on the lamps, and keep the camera level.
Take one wide shot and one detail
Listing photos. For each main room, keep one photo that shows the whole room and one that shows a finished feature.
Test the alarms before you list
Prep and repairs. Press each smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm, and replace any battery that fails.
Tighten loose hardware before the first visit
Prep and repairs. Snug the hinges, handles, and cabinet pulls that rattle when someone opens a door.
Trace a stain to its source
Prep and repairs. Find the leak that made the stain, then repair that before you paint over the mark.
Walk the house again before the buyer’s final visit
Closing. Check the fixtures you promised to leave, and report anything that broke.
Walk the house before you hire anyone
Prep and repairs. A slow walk with a notepad shows what to fix, what to tell buyers, and what to leave alone.
Write three numbers before you list
Pricing. Write the list price, the net you hope for, and the net that would make you walk away.
Write what you will not negotiate
Agent or FSBO. Before the first call, list the terms you will discuss and the ones you will not.
Deep-clean after the dusty work, not before
Prep and repairs. Clean after the dusty repairs, not before.