Developing a plan and setting attainable goals are two of the biggest ingredients in the process of selling a home successfully. By understanding what steps you need to take, when you need to take them, and where you can look for help along the way, you'll put yourself in a great position to sell a home quickly while maximizing your return on investment.
This step-by-step guide to selling a house is designed to prepare you for the process and help you achieve your goals.
Step One – Find the Right Real Estate Agent
The first step on our list just...
According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, most home sellers hire the first real estate agent they meet.
Now, that might not necessarily be a bad idea if you happen to meet a great agent right out of the gate, but selling your home is a big move, and it's important to choose your listing agent carefully.
To find the best agent for the job, you need to ask questions — and not just "how much will you get for the property?" and "what will the commission be?" Include these questions during the interview process:
Before you engage in any real estate transaction, you need to know as much as you can about the home's value. There are two related but distinct processes that help people pin down the valuation of a property before they move forward: comparative market analysis and home appraisal.
Both of these will be performed at different steps in the sale process. Knowing the difference between the two can save you some valuable time.

Over the past few years, a real estate buying frenzy bid up home prices to eye-popping amounts. However, as mortgage rates have risen, buyer demand has cooled. 1 Consequently, home sellers who enter the market today may need to reset their expectations.
The reality is, it's no longer enough to stick a "for sale" sign in the yard and wait for buyers to bang down the door. If you want to net the most money possible for your property in today's market, you'll need an effective game plan and a skilled team of professionals to implement it.
Fortunately, we've developed a listing strategy that combines our proven approach to preparation, pricing, and promotion—all designed to help you get top dollar for your home. But you will play an important role in the selling process, as well.
It took a lot of dedicated effort to get your home on the market. It would be nice if you could just sit back and wait for the offers to roll in. Unfortunately, it's not that easy.
Once your home is on the market, your real estate agent will work hard to complete the sale, but you'll have to do your part to keep things moving forward. Here are five things you can do to help keep your marketing efforts on track.