The method
How I Sell Your Home, Step by Step
A thoughtful plan for selling your home in Lancaster, Ohio: your goals first, then pricing, preparation, Facebook and Instagram ads, offers and closing.
The short version
Selling a home is a big move, so I start with you. Before we talk about price or marketing, I want to know what the move means to you, what is prompting the sale, and what a good timeline looks like. Then I give you a plan, explain each recommendation, and keep you updated until closing.
The path has four parts: Equity, Presentation, Impact and Campaign. Here is each one.
Talk to Jill About Selling
Equity: Your price starts with you and with homes that have sold
It starts with a phone call. I ask for the address, whether you owe anything on the home, and whether you have made any updates. Then I do my homework on the home and set a time to come see it.
When we meet, we sit down in your kitchen, and I start with questions. What is prompting the sale? What does your ideal timeline look like? What would make this feel successful? Those answers matter, because the best plan starts with your priorities.
I bring my CMAs with me. A CMA, or comparative market analysis, compares your home to similar homes nearby. I ask for a walk-through and take notes on the bedrooms, the bathrooms and anything else I see, in case the auditor's website has it wrong. I also ask whether you have a number in mind for what the home could sell for.
Price is a strategy. After the walk-through, I show you how your home compares to the homes that have sold. Sold homes show what buyers actually paid. If a similar home is still on the market, that home is your competition, and we look at it together. Then I explain the price I recommend and why. The goal is to get serious attention and put you in a strong position to negotiate.
How I Sell Your Home, Step by Step
Presentation: Getting your home ready to be seen
You get one chance to introduce your home to the market for the first time, so we make it count. We walk through your home together and decide what will help buyers see its best features. Sometimes that is a few simple changes. Sometimes it takes more preparation. Every recommendation has a clear purpose, and we match it to your home, your budget and your timeline.
Before the home goes live, I recommend a pre-listing inspection. That is an inspection you order yourself before buyers arrive, so you know what an inspector would find.
I work with a professional photographer for your listing photos. I also give you recommendations for staging, which means arranging furniture and decor so the home shows well. Not sure what to fix? Read should I fix things up before I sell, or sell as is.
Impact: Helping buyers see why your home belongs on their list
Your home has a story, and my job is to help buyers see it. I build the marketing plan around what makes your home appealing, such as its layout, natural light, outdoor spaces and everyday conveniences. We talk through the photography, presentation, listing description and promotion, so you know what is included and how each piece helps the sale.
Once your listing is active, I do a property tour of your home to post on social media. I also run paid Facebook and Instagram ads for your home, so buyers see it where they already scroll. Every home I list gets those ads.
You will know what is happening. We agree at the start on how you like to communicate and how often you want updates. I share showing activity, useful buyer feedback and changes in the competition, and I tell you plainly when a decision needs your attention.
Once we launch, we use buyer activity and feedback to see how the market is responding, and we adjust if we need to.
Campaign: From offers to closing day
When an offer comes in, I help you look at the whole picture. We weigh the price, financing, contingencies, closing date and other terms that affect your outcome, and I walk you through the tradeoffs so you can decide with confidence. Depending on how many offers there are and how you want to hear about them, we meet in person or talk on the phone.
Once you choose an offer, I call the buyer's agent. I coordinate with the title company while the buyer's agent schedules the inspections. Then we see where things stand with the inspections and any repairs, and the buyer's lender orders the appraisal. If an inspection, an appraisal or anything else calls for a decision, I explain what it means and help you think through your response. I keep you in the loop on who still needs to come into your house, such as the inspector and the appraiser. From there on, I check in with you once a week so you know what is happening.
In the last days, I stay in touch with the buyer's agent so I know when the final walk-through will be. I plan to be at the closing myself, in case any questions come up.
After closing, I will remain in touch should any questions arise.
Let's plan your next chapter. Tell me about your home and what you are hoping for, and we will start there.
This page describes my general process. It is not legal, tax or lending advice, and the details of your sale depend on your contract.
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