Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

A Step-by-Step First Time Seller's Guide

Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced agent and this easy to follow guide, you can smoothly complete the process. Following these steps will help you prepare so you can get organized and sell your home for the best price possible.​​​​​​​

main

Step 1: Understand Why You're Selling

What do you want to accomplish with the sale of your home? Do you want to make a certain amount of money that you can put toward a larger or nicer home? Do you need to sell it as soon as possible to facilitate a move to a new city or area? Once you understand your needs, you can better craft your offer. For example, if you need to sell quickly, you might want to price your home lower than if your goal is to make a certain profit margin. Make sure you convey these needs to your Real Estate Agent once you choose one so he or she can adjust your selling price accordingly.

main

Step 2: Determine Selling Price

Knowing how to price your home is one of the most important parts of the selling process. When you set a fair price in the beginning, you’ll get the most interest from other Real Estate Agents and prospective buyers. Overpricing your home could lead to reduced interest, and underpricing leads to receiving less than what your home is worth. Working with a Real Estate Agent is the best way to determine the right selling price for your home. An agent with experience can determine what other comparable homes are selling for, evaluate the current market, and may even suggest a home appraisal.

main

Step 3: Start Preparations

If you’ve kept your home in showroom condition since you’ve lived in it, you’re in the minority of homeowners. Once you price your home, it’s time to start getting it ready to be shown to potential buyers. This includes getting rid of clutter, depersonalizing the space so that buyers can envision themselves in the space, making any small repairs, and doing a deep clean to make sure your home is in pristine condition.

main

Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

I will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing through social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, traditional media, or SEO advertising. My team creates a marketing campaign that aims to get the most possible traffic to your listing in the first three weeks after becoming a client.

main

Step 5: Evaluate Offers

Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over. I will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is prequalified or pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. If the offer is too low, you can make a counter-offer or offer other ways to bridge the gap, such as covering some or all of the closing costs, making repairs, adjusting the move-in date, or leaving some appliances or fixtures for the new buyer.

main

Step 6: Accept an Offer

Once I deem the offer is acceptable, I will review the proposed contract to make sure it’s all in order and includes the necessary components such as deposit amount, down payment, financing, inspection rights and repair allowances, contingencies, settlement date, and a list of fees and who will pay them. When both parties have agreed to the term, a final contract will be prepared by your agent.

main

Step 7: Get Ready to Close

You have accepted an offer and are now very close to the end of your selling journey. But first, you and the buyer must make a list of what needs to be done before closing. In some cases, your home may need to be formally inspected, surveyed, and appraised. In other cases, major or minor repairs will need to be made before the house can close. I will head up efforts to develop and execute this list, get each action item paid for by the correct party, and make sure everything is in order by the closing date. A few days before the closing date, we will call the company closing the transaction to make sure everything is ready to go. If you haven’t done so already, you also need to make arrangements to move out of the home so the new buyer can take possession.

main

Step 8: Close

You’ve reached the last step in the seller’s process. When you close on a home you are selling, you are legally transferring ownership of the property to the new buyer. I will meet with the company closing the transaction to sign the final paperwork and go over any issues that have not yet been taken care of. During this time, you can also make plans with your Real Estate Agent to handle final details such as canceling utilities, cable, and lawn or trash services, changing the name on accounts that the new owner is retaining and ensuring the new owner has instructions for all appliances that will remain in the home.

Congratulations!

Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis is the absolute best! Not only was working with him easy but it was educational and fun. He answered all of our questions and made sure we understood everything. He was flexible and fit our schedule. Even though he had many clients he would always make us feel like we were the only ones when he was with us. Thank you Travis for making us new homeowners!

— Jorge C.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis helped me relocate two years ago when I suddenly decided to relocate closer to family. He is thorough in providing listings and locations suited to my preferences to live/work/play. I recently decided to enlist Travis’ assistance again when I moved to another part of the state after starting a relationship. Travis came through again and delivered. I would recommend Travis Cox again and again for y...

— Patrick H.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

I'm a lender so i work with a lot of realtors on a daily basis. Travis is by far one of my favorites to work with. He's really great at connecting with his clients and i think that has a lot to do with the fact that he genuinely cares about people. And he cares about getting you into the right house when the time is right for you. He's always very available for calls/text/emails and has a great knowledge...

— Michael D.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

I was very pleased with Travis’s help and assistance. He guided me through the whole process and even sat with me at the title’s office when the closing date came. I will be forever grateful not only for his attention but because I gained a friend as well.

— Ben B.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

I met Travis over 3 years ago when my husband and I were considering selling our property. Travis immediately made me feel comfortable and treated us like family. My husband became ill and couldn’t leave our home of over 40 years. Travis stayed by us as we traveled through Craig’s illness and passing. Even though Travis was moving to South Carolina, he stayed with me as I sold our home and, with the assi...

— Pamela W.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis is an outstanding real estate professional who combines exceptional personability with a high level of professionalism. His attention to detail ensures every aspect of the buying or selling process is seamless and stress-free. He consistently demonstrates integrity, always putting his clients’ best interests first. I highly recommend him for anyone seeking a trustworthy and skilled partner in the ...

— Zach S.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis is total pro and provided guidance start to finish in a way that also listens to client concerns. Above and beyond in several ways during process. Plus just a plain great guy to deal with… helps make an already nerve racking process smoother by far. Would do any other real estate transactions with him again. No brainer….

— Mark G.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis worked extremely hard to help us find something perfect for our family! He was always there to help and assist like if we were family. He is extremely professional, extremely helpful, and super positive!

— Maria C.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

From the moment so met Travis, I felt well taken care of. He handled all the details and helped me with all of the aspects of the purchase of my home. He is consistent, punctual and goes above and beyond in representing my interests. I’m very glad I worked with Travis Cox!

— Patrick H.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis Cox did an amazing job guiding us through a very quick transaction. He answered all questions and handled all our requests promptly, patiently and professionally. It was a pleasure to work with him.

— Paul G.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

I want to share our appreciation for Travis Cox's expert counsel helping us navigate the purchase of our new home. Our Real Estate advisor provided us the follow up and feedback that we truly needed to realize our dream home. We spent 3 consecutive days looking at homes with specifications of our desires. Travis was prepared and patient with us as we looked at numerous homes and knowledgeable of the area...

— George T.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis made the home buying process a breeze and the transition from moving from Michigan, simply amazing! His attention to detail and working with me remotely were very much appreciated! Thank you so much Travis for finding the perfect home (and location) for me and my girls!

— Liz P.

★★★★★ The Travis Cox Difference

Travis worked closely with us to find a house that fit our needs and desires. We moved from out of state yet had no problems communicating with Travis. When we found the right home Travis walked us through the complicated process. I would highly recommend him if you are looking for a new home.

— Carlton N.

How Much is Your Home Worth?

  • Instant property valuation
  • Expert advice
  • Sell for more

Get in Touch With Travis Today