Seller Timeline:
Using Goals To Prepare Your Home For The Market

Selling a home is often described as hard work. This statement is often true, especially when the entire process was allowed to just happen, instead of being carefully planned.

If you are preparing to sell your home, here is how to create a basic timeline that will keep you focused and help prepare you for the listing process, with far fewer detours and mishaps.

Divide the timeline into specific time periods and assign goals for each. Here are some examples:

At Least 3 Months Before Listing

• Sort and organize each room and area of your home. Packing and moving your household will be costly, so take this time to rid your home of any damaged, unused or unwanted household goods, toys, clothing and and other items.
• Interview and select a professional real estate agent.
• Invite your real estate professional to take a hard look at your home and help you determine what must be repaired or updated to make your home compete well in the market. A pre-market home inspection can also help provide this information.
• Have your real estate agent help you decide when to place your home on the market and make sure that all repairs and updates are completed by that date

1 Month Before Listing

• Arrange for your home to be professionally staged and photographed for the listing.
• Decide how you will handle the showings, open houses and other appointments.
• Freshen up the landscape and, if the season allows for it, add bright bursts of colorful flowers to flower beds and planters.
• Clean exterior surfaces, such as decks, driveways, gutters and vinyl siding. Also touch up the interior of your home.

List Date

• Make sure the home is ready to show at all times.
• Prepare to welcome prospective buyers and entertain offers!

Make a Great Plan and Then Work It!

Start your written time line as soon as you know that you will be selling your home. Make sure that it is in a format that will allow you to modify and update it as needed, such as a spreadsheet document, or a handwritten series of lists.