Checklist To Sell A Houston House In 2024: Who To Hire, How To Prep, What To Gather
Here's A 2024 Complete Houston Home Seller Checklist.
Imagine you're in the middle of a home-selling process. When you're halfway through organizing a random box, your real estate agent calls for a copy of your property survey. Where on earth is it?
At the same time, your doorbell rings with the painting crew outside to retouch your entryway. Later, you find a family photo album hitting you with a flood of memories and emotions.
Home selling will often be chaotic. Frustrations are bound to arise with the magnitude of details to consider. However, having a clear plan will help you stay organized. Here's a comprehensive checklist for Houston home sellers on who to call, how to prep, and what to gather.
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"We could not have asked for a simpler or more enjoyable home buying experience. Not only did we love the realtors that we personally interacted with, but we had a whole team of support at Houston properties. Everyone was very professional and friendly and made sure we were always up to speed. 10/10 would recommend!" - Michelle (Google Review)
Table of Contents
Professional Services
"The Houston Properties Team is fantastic! I found the team through their highly-informative website, guides, and resources to the Houston area as we prepared to relocate halfway across the country. After reaching out, we were lucky enough to gain Kim Vargas as our realtor. She made our home purchase and move as seamless as she possibly could. If we needed support on anything, she jumped right in! Her market knowledge and expertise helped guide us and ensured we made a sound decision on our home purchase. We can’t thank her and the Houston Properties Team enough!" - (Rachel, Google Review)
With many fully booked contractors, it's better to list the professionals you might need to hire as soon as possible. Here's a list of professionals to call:
Contact Houston’s top Realtors, the Houston Properties Team, 1-3 months before you sell your property. Check for reviews, statistics, and experience selling homes near your property area.
Schedule a dumpster rental to clear out excess items like your inherited belongings or accumulated clutter.
Arrange for the services you need: paint crew, window washer, landscaper, or carpet cleaner.
Hire a credible home inspector. A pre-listing inspection is essential to identify home issues and needed repairs.
Arrange for a professional home cleaning service. Schedule it after decluttering and before the home photoshoot.
Hiring a licensed real estate attorney is optional in Houston. But, it would be beneficial for closing documents, title transfers, contract issues, and legal barriers.
Pre-listing Preparations
"We recently bought a new house and sold the old one with the Houston Properties team. The entire process was methodical and well managed, and they set the right expectations from the beginning. Our realtor, Courtney was awesome and very knowledgeable about the market areas we were interested in. We highly recommend them." - Amol (Google Review)
Preparing a house for sale requires a lot of sweat equity to get the best price. Follow this home seller checklist to ensure that everything is covered:
General
Repaint rooms with light and neutral colors.
Remove your photos and novelties.
Replace any storage container with baskets or remove them overall.
Replace damaged curtains and blinds.
Get rid of outdated window valances to maximize natural light.
Replace light bulbs with 3000K to 3500K range LEDs to improve interior lighting.
Clear out floors and only retain essential furniture by decluttering all rooms. The simpler, the better.
Clean all windows; hire washers for a two-story home.
Deep clean the vents, ceiling corners, fan blades, and everything.
Wash the carpets; you may DIY or hire a professional instead.
Establish a system to hide pet supplies (bowls and litter boxes) quickly.
Ensure a neutral and clean house smell by cleaning the source of any lingering odors.
Kitchen
Clear the countertops.
Retain one decor on the counters (fruit bowl or vase).
Clear your fridge door from magnets and notes.
Remove any area rugs in front of the fridge and below the sinks.
Bathrooms
Swap all towels with fluffy white colored ones.
Discard any throw rugs.
Remove the toiletries from countertops and retain only the essentials in the shower/tub. Discard any old bottles.
Add finishing touches (optional). Set a fresh pack of spa soaps with a few rolled-up white towels.
Exterior
Prune bushes so they don't obstruct window views or touch exterior walls.
Trim tree limbs to frame your home and avoid view obstruction.
Install mulch or pine straw on flower beds.
Remove yard clutter like hoses, debris, and the like.
Dress up flower beds and add front-door flower pots.
Ensure the front door condition and repaint if necessary.
Clean the entryway and remove exterior light debris.
Power clean concrete.
Water down exterior walls; use caution if pressure washing.
Listing and Marketing
"Selling your home is an emotional process. For that, it is important to work with the best real estate agency out there. From the moment we decided to sell, Houston Properties Team was there for us. They took their time to get to know us, what our needs were and when it would be the right time to sell and for what price. We received a detailed timeline so we knew exactly where we were in the process at all times. Our realtor, Courtney Williams was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond for us. She was very patient, answered every question we had big our small promptly and always provided us with the information we needed. I highly recommend working with Courtney Williams of the Houston Properties Team. Thanks to Courtney we had a very smooth sale and found the perfect new owners for our house." - (Olivia, Google Review)
Now your home looks stunning! You can now list it and invite buyers. Here’s a checklist on listing and promotion to review with your Houston Realtor:
Sign the listing agreement along with your Realtor. Double-check the listing period and fee.
Finalize the home’s listing price after reviewing your Realtor’s comparative market analysis.
Complete the seller’s disclosure to list any known property flaws.
Discuss with your Realtor about getting a prelim (preliminary title report). It is to improve marketing and prevent title issues.
Arrange a staging consultation. Then, wrap up unfinished errands like paintings, repairs, decluttering, etc.
Complete any listing-related documents your Realtor provides (client intake papers or property details).
Duplicate at least two front door keys for your Realtor before the listing photo shoot.
Secure a recent copy of the property survey.
Prepare your home for a photo session following your Realtor’s guidance.
Photograph your home. You may hire a professional and opt to attend.
Verify the MLS listing drafts your Realtor provided. Apply suggestions for property information.
Install the “For-Sale” sign in the yard.
Secure the property documentation (manuals and warranties).
Ensure the listing’s accuracy on websites with your Realtor once launched on social media and the MLS.
Maintain the property's overall condition during various marketing routines (open houses or promotions).
Recognize buyer and buyer agent concerns with your Realtor. Adjust needed presentation and marketing improvements.
Sign the acquisition agreement after negotiating an offer. Submit a counteroffer if needed.
Closing Process
"Courtney, Dani, and the entire Houston Properties team were attentive, knowledgeable, caring, timely, and all around wonderful. Can’t imagine a better experience buying and selling a home! 10/10 would recommend!" - Micthell (Google Review)
After your home gets a deal, there are still essential steps to follow. Here’s the complete checklist for closing the sale:
Finalize the home inspection 5-7 days after signing the acquisition deal.
Negotiate inspection report items if necessary.
Finalize home appraisal through an independent 3rd party appraiser. It is essential if your buyer is using a mortgage.
Negotiate home appraisal results if necessary.
Fact-check documents via attorneys.
Clear home title and close any remaining title issues.
Transfer the home ownership to the buyer during settlement.
Disburse payment to the seller and involved parties.
Review the settlement statement for a breakdown of sale fees and credits.
Documents and Paperwork
Most of these documents were already mentioned above, but organizing and securing them in one place is helpful. Here's a checklist of essential documents throughout a home-selling process:
Listing agreement: contract with Realtor.
Comparative market analysis: your listing price’s basis from your Realtor.
Seller’s disclosures: information on your home’s known condition.
Marketing and listing materials: printed for home showings.
Preliminary title report: conducted during escrow or prior to listing.
Purchase agreement: price and terms contract with the buyer.
Property survey: property boundaries confirmation.
Seller’s net sheet: net proceeds’ basis from your Realtor.
Home upgrade documentation: for tax purposes and provided to the appraiser.
Manuals, warranties, and maintenance papers: for the new owners.
1099-S form: capital gains report, if needed.
Settlement statement: summarized transaction finances with a list of credits and fees.
Home Seller Checklist Important Note:
This list reflects the general home-selling process with a Realtor’s assistance. If you want to sell your home FSBO or “for sale by owner,” most of the steps will apply. However, you’ll take on a lot more responsibilities.
Also, a home-selling process varies from state to state. It includes the seller’s disclosure specifics or an attorney requirement. Consider this a general guideline, and consult a top Houston Realtor for more details on home selling.
Houston's top real estate team, the Houston Properties Team, has years of experience selling homes in Houston. If you want a free value estimator for your house, see Houston Home Value Estimator, or Contact us to get personal advice on selling your home.
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