Steps to Selling a Home in Triangle and Wayne County

Find an Experienced Triangle and Wayne County Agent

Finding the right agent defines the rest of your selling journey, so make sure you pick someone with a wealth of local experience and expertise. Here at Stonedale Realty, we offer tons of resources and open communication throughout every step of the process. 

Find out more about our qualifications and experience!

Consider Repairs and Improvements

If you list your home with the Stonedale Team, we'll complete a walkthrough of your home to help you figure out the necessary repairs. It helps to be proactive with repairs so you don't end up with a laundry list of things to do before you sell.

For sellers who aren't sure what improvements to make, basic projects like performing minor kitchen and bathroom repairs, updating flooring, or installing new hardware and fixtures can make your home stand out. Bigger projects like refinishing hardwood floors, fixing or replacing your roof or siding, installing a new garage door or front door, and updating or repairing your HVAC system are even better for boosting your home's value. 

Set the Price Right

If you list your home for too high of a price, you won't get many interested buyers, but if you list it too low, you miss out on maximizing your profit. When you enlist the help of Stonedale Realty, we can help you find the right price for a successful sale.

From evaluating the local market to determining what nearby or similar homes have sold for, we'll crunch the numbers for you. Request a neighborhood sold report and work with your agent to find the right listing price.

Prep Your Home

The home prepping step of the selling process is a big one, and one that requires a lot of planning. You'll need to declutter your home, pack away any extra trinkets, and get rid of unnecessary furniture. Once the clutter has been cleared, it's time to get started with a deep clean. Vacuum, mop, dust, and put in some major elbow grease to make your home shine. 

Then, get some tips from your agent on how to stage your home so that it's neat, cozy, and depersonalized (allowing your buyers to picture their own personal touches in their potential new home).

Lastly, get professional photographs of your home that highlight its best features and give buyers a memorable impression of your home—right from their computer, tablet, or phone.

Market Your Home

The key to selling a home is in finding the right buyers, and that requires a lot of marketing and advertising. Luckily, when you list with an experienced agent, we can do a whole lot more than just putting a sign in your front yard. In addition to being skilled agents, the Stonedale Team is full of skilled marketers, and we know where and how to find the best buyers for your home.

With access to a wealth of resources, online listing services, print advertising distribution, large social media followings, and local agent networks, we can help elevate your marketing to the next level. 

Show Your Home

From open houses to daily showings, your home can be toured at almost any time. Keep your space neat, clean, cozy, and staged to impress. Stay on top of things like dirty dishes, vacuuming, and piles of laundry so your home both looks and smells fresh and clean.

Additionally, you should be ready to clear out of the house during showings to avoid making buyers uncomfortable.

Negotiate and Accept an Offer

If a buyer wants your home, they'll submit a written offer, which usually states how much they'll pay, their mortgage amount, closing and occupancy dates, and any contingencies. Now is the part where you either accept the offer and move on, or enlist your real estate agent to help you negotiate the terms. 

Negotiations can include your own contingencies, such as a first right of refusal if your buyer's offer is contingent on selling their home, making the offer contingent on you buying another home, or adding contingencies for closing and occupancy dates or buyer financing. Since negotiating can be tricky, the Stonedale Team can help you achieve the right deal for your needs. 

Sign a Purchase and Sale Agreement

Once you and the buyer have agreed upon an offer, you will both sign a legal contract called a Purchase and Sale Agreement. This outlines the specific terms, conditions, and contingencies of the home sale. Since some of the technical terms and specificities of these types of documents can be confusing, we'll be right there to answer any questions and break down terminology whenever you need it. 

Cooperate with Inspections

Before the buyer closes the deal, they'll hire an inspector to evaluate the condition of your house. The inspector will go through every corner and crevice of the home, paying particular attention to common trouble areas like the roof, basement, heating and cooling systems, structure, plumbing, and electrical.

If the inspector finds any area that needs repairs, the buyer can negotiate for the costs of the repairs.

Enter Escrow

Next, you will enter escrow. During this time, you and your agent will work with an escrow company to complete paperwork and ensure that all parts of the contract are complete. If you're not sure what escrow entails, don't worry — we'll break down the process and terms for you. Don't be afraid to ask any questions, because the team at Stonedale is committed to helping ease you through the entire process. 

Sign, Pay, and Close!

On a predetermined closing date, you and your buyer will sit down with your agents to sign all the paperwork and pay all your fees. At this point, you'll hand over your keys and the property title, and you will receive a check for the remaining balance after the remainder of your mortgage is paid to your bank. Now you can take a deep breath and have a sigh of relief. Congrats—you have sold your home!