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Homeseller Checklist

Use this handy checklist to help you get organized and stay on track when you are planning to sell your home.

Find a real estate agent

  • Choose an agent. An agent can help you price your home, list it for sale, run open houses and showings, negotiate with buyers, manage paperwork, and more.
  • Choose for sale by owner. When you sell a home yourself, you’ll need to do the work that agents typically do. This, however, could save you money on commissions.
  • Explore savings through Freedom Homes. You can save thousands of dollars when you sell your current home through Freedom Homes partners.* Learn more

Prepare your home for sale

  • Remodel and repair. Making repairs and updates could help you sell your home faster and for more money. Consider getting a presale home inspection to help you plan.
  • Declutter, clean, and stage. A thorough cleanout and cleanup are essential to help your home show well to buyers. Consider staging your home for sale, too.
  • Take professional photos. Many homebuyers begin their search online these days. Good-quality photos of your home can help you stand out.

Choose the right price

  • Research comparables. Look at the prices of homes that have sold recently that are similar to yours. Real estate agents typically have access to these comps.
  • Consider repairs and renovations. Important repairs, recent renovations, fresh paint, and new carpets can all help you set a higher price.
  • Look at market conditions. The number of houses for sale in your neighborhood, interest rates, and time of year can all influence the sale price.

Review offers and negotiate

  • Price. The price a buyer is willing to pay is often the most important consideration when you are reviewing bids, but it’s not the only one.
  • Contingencies. Bids can include home sale, financing, appraisal, and home inspection contingencies. Look at contingencies, as well as price.
  • Prequalifications. You’ll want buyers to show they will get approved for a mortgage and can afford to make the down payment and pay closing costs.
  • Accept an offer. Once you’ve reviewed offers and negotiated, you’ll need to accept an offer with the price and contingencies which are right for you.

Get ready to close

  • Pay closing costs. You may need to pay agent commissions, transfer taxes, title transfer and title insurance costs, escrow fees, and more.
  • Gather documents. You may need the purchase contract, mortgage documents, property title report, HOA documents, property deed, tax and insurance information, and other documents.
  • Finalize your moving plans. You’ll need to move out before you can close. Include moving costs in your estimate of how much selling your home will cost.

FAQs

  • Many sellers work with a real estate agent to help them sell their home. You’ll need to prepare your home for sale by making repairs, cleaning it, and getting it ready for open houses and showings.

    You’ll need to choose a sale price, review offers, negotiate with buyers, accept an offer, and close the sale of your home.

    The checklist on this page can help you plan the sale of your home and keep you on track to reach your goals. Learn more by reading our article about how to sell a home.

  • Choosing a sale price for your home can be difficult. You don’t want to price it too low and leave money on the table, but you don’t want to price it too high and make it harder to find buyers. Try following these steps:

    1. Look at automated valuation models. These models use a database of home sales and statistical models to suggest prices for your home. Your agent may have a model. You can check sites like Zillow, too.
    2. Research comparables. Real estate comparables, or “comps,” look at the location, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and age and condition of your home, compared to similar homes that have sold recently within your community. The sale price of these comparable homes can help you set the price of yours.
    3. Consider the specifics of your home. If you’ve done a lot to refresh and update your home, this work might help you set a higher price.
    4. Evaluate the market. When there is a buyers’ or sellers’ market in your community, this can influence the price you choose. Interest rates and the time of year can also affect the sale price.
    5. Decide how fast you want to sell. When you want to sell your home quickly, a lower price can help. When you can wait, you might choose a higher price. Learn more about pricing your home

  • When you sell a home, you should consider the cost of repairs, real estate agent commissions, closing costs, transfer taxes, moving, and more. These costs can vary significantly from seller to seller. Learn more about the cost of selling a home.

    Also remember you’ll need to pay off any mortgage you have on your home when you sell it. Keep your mortgage payoff amount in mind when you are making your plans.

  • Real estate agents can help you set a sale price for you home, as well as get it listed on websites and databases. Real estate agents can manage open houses and showings, review offers and negotiate, manage appraisals, disclosures, and other paperwork, and help you close the sale. Freedom Homes can connect you with a top real estate agent in your area.

    When you sell your own home, you’ll need to do the work a real estate agent would do for you. Keep in mind, you’ll typically save just half the cost of agent commissions. That’s because sellers usually pay the buyer’s agent commissions. Learn more about selling your own home.

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Agents + Savings You Can Rely On

Save thousands of dollars in Cash Rewards when you sell your current home or buy your dream home with Freedom Homes partners.

Learn More

*The Cash Rewards Programs (“the Programs”) are provided by Home Advantage Partners and Home Story Real Estate Services. Freedom Mortgage Corporation is not affiliated with Home Advantage Partners or Home Story Real Estate Services. Freedom Mortgage Corporation is not responsible for the Programs provided by Home Advantage Partners or Home Story Real Estate Services. Obtaining a mortgage from Freedom Mortgage Corporation is optional and not required to participate in the Programs. The borrower may arrange for financing with any lender. Freedom Mortgage Corporation is not licensed as a real estate broker, and its employees are not authorized to perform, nor do they perform, any activity that is or could be construed as unlicensed real estate activity.

Home buyers and sellers must use a real estate agent in the HomeAdvantage or Home Story network (“certified network agent”) to complete the buy and/or sell transaction to be eligible for Cash Rewards and the prospective purchaser or seller of real estate property must be eighteen (18) years of age or older. In some cases, a certified network agent may not be available. If you are currently working with a real estate agent, this is not a solicitation.

Cash Rewards may be limited and/or prohibited by state law. For example, no reward will be available for buyers in MS. Other eligibility requirements for the Programs are listed below.

HomeAdvantage Cash Rewards Program

Cash Rewards may be in the form of a closing cost credit disclosed on the Closing Disclosure or a reduced real estate commission with the exception of the following states where a check will be issued after closing; AL, AK, IA, KS, LA, MO, OK, OR and TN.

Home Story Rewards

Home Story will issue the reward using the payment option you select within 45 days of receiving the Closing Disclosure or other documentation reasonably required to calculate the amount of the reward. Real Estate fees and commissions still apply. Short sale transactions do not qualify for the reward and employee sponsored relocation plans may preclude participation in the program. The reward is valid for 18 months from the date of enrollment and after that time you must re-enroll to be eligible.

State law may limit the reward to $1,000 per qualified buy transaction or 1% discount on the total commissions paid on a sell transaction. No reward will be available for buyers in MS, OK and OR. Rewards in KS and TN are required to be delivered by gift card. An agent rebate may be available for buyers in lieu of the reward in NJ and should be discussed with the agent upon enrollment.

**Visit FreedomMortgage.com/Purchase-Promise-Eligibility to view the eligibility requirements for the Close-on-Time Guarantee.