Table of Contents
The Home Sales Process Overview
A reliable sequence of phases occurs for every home that is sold. And the activities and objectives associated with each of those phases is always the same.
However, the quality, diligence and thoroughness that is applied to completing each phase and activity can vary widely and the final outcome can be exhilarating or devastating.
This Guide uses a wide variety of information and content types to ensure that you can bypass the “school of hard knocks.”
The drop-down Phase-Headers to the right offer an annotated outline that is further expanded through the remainder of the Guide
PRELIMINARY PLANNING FOR SELLING YOUR HOME
- Select the optimum time frames for concluding the home sales process.
- Arrange your Post-Sale Destination planning.
- Evaluate the condition of your home and property and begin upgrades, repairs, cleaning and staging.
PREPARATION FOR LISTING
- Select and hire an Agent
- Request CMA: Comparative Market Analysis Report
- Participate in Your Agent’s “Buyers’ Trends and Perspectives” consultation
- Participate in your agent’s “Home Readiness” consultation covering upgrades, repairs, cleaning and staging (internal and exteernal.)
- Review “Common Repairs Checklist Below”
- Review “Repairs with Best ROI Below”
- Consider a pre-listing inspection to mitigate adverse surprises from buyer inspections
- Set list price and list date during agent consultation
- Set photography, video and aerial photography dates
- Set initial open house dates and setup pet accommodations for those dates
- Finish repairs, upgrades, cleaning and staging
- Complete professional market-ready home photography portfolio
- List your home for sale
MARKET, ADVERTISE, SHOW (Iterative)
- Launch Marketing and Advertising campaigns
- Prepare for open houses and showings
- Hold open houses and showings
- Review buyer audience feedback from agent networking and open house attendees
- Review number of showings and the number of buyer’s offers and their values, contingencies and downpayments
QUALIFY, NEGOTIATE AND SELECT THE BEST BUYER
- Evaluate and negotiate each offer with your agent for contingencies, financial strength, buyer concessions, etc
- Conduct “Best & Final” re-bidding and Re-negotiate the final offer (if needed)
- Accept the offer that is best for you
BUYER INSPECTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS AND REPAIRS
- Attorney Review – formal contract preparation (3 Days to 1 Week)
- Schedule Inspections
- Home Inspectors usually cover interior and exterior home conditions and include Radon and Mold
- Septic systems are inspected by state certified septic specialists (not required if city sewer is connected)
- Well water is tested in laboratories whose sampling companies schedule appointments
- Oil tank sweeps locate unused underground tanks that are removed by tank removal companies
- Pest Control remediation (not a regular inspection) may be required to complete a home sale
BUYER'S MORTGAGE APPROVAL PERIOD (30-60 Days)
- Schedule Bank Appraisal (Possible Negotiations if Price Offer is High)
- Contact utility companies to schedule turn-over
- Title Search
FINAL ACTIVITIES AND CLOSING
- Final Walkthrough
- Final Contract Signing
- Closing
Sample Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
The most widely used method of determining the value of a home is to mathematically compare and average the sales prices of three recently-sold homes. Depicted on the right is a spreadsheet showing 1st, 2nd and 3rd comparable homes in the three double columns to the right (blue, yellow and green) being compared to the values of the “subject” home in the second column from the left.
Calculations in the right columns of the three comparable homes adjust and equalize only the differences between the comparable homes and the subject home.
The adjustments for each comparable home are summed up in their own column and the total of each of the three comparable homes is averaged and added (or subtracted) from the subject home to derive a MARKET INDICATION of the value of the subject home.
The Home Inspection Overview
A reliable sequence of phases occurs for every home that is sold. And the activities and objectives associated with each of those phases is always the same.
However, the quality, diligence and thoroughness that is applied to completing each phase and activity can vary widely and the final outcome can be exhilarating or devastating.
This Guide uses a wide variety of information and content types to ensure that you can bypass the “school of hard knocks.”
The drop-down Phase-Headers to the right offer an annotated outline that is further expanded through the remainder of the Guide
Roof
Missing, torn, or punctured shingles May allow water to penetrate the roof and cause interior damage.
Aged or sun-damaged shingles may curl, become brittle, and break easily, signaling end-of life
Damaged or deteriorated flashing around chimneys, vents, and roof edges commonly cause leaks.
Plumbing
Water heater concerns—including age, safety, and function—are frequently flagged in inspections.
Leaks at sinks, toilets, or pipes can cause water damage, mold, and costly repairs if ignored.
Corroded or outdated piping (galvanized or lead) should be replaced to meet modern safety
Electrical
Missing GFCI outlets in kitchens, baths, laundry and exterior locations require upgrading.
Ungrounded outlets or exposed wiring pose safety risks and must be corrected.
Overloaded circuits and panel terminals often require repair or replacement to meet code.
Knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring are no longer compliant and may need full replacement.
Heating and Air Conditioning
Documented maintenance history reassures buyers that the system has been properly cared for.
Aging, inefficient, or poorly functioning units receive close scrutiny. Servicing or replacement may be recommended.
Foundational and Structural
Wall cracks, movement or settling raise immediate structural concerns for buyers and inspectors.
Moisture issues, poor drainage, or wood rot can signal larger structural problems that deserve evaluation and repair.
Interior Improvements
Kitchens and Bathrooms are high-priority rooms for buyers. Old or non-functional appliances negatively impact perceived home value. Update plumbing fixtures, replace missing grout and caulk, repair cracked tiles and damaged cabinetry, and replace outdated cabinet hardware. Vintage finishes—especially pink 1950s tile—tend to reduce buyer interest unless renovated.
Walls: Buyers notice walls everywhere. Ensure they are freshly painted, clean, and free of dirt, dents, scratches, cracks, peeling tape, and holes of any size.Flooring: Refinished hardwood floors dramatically increase appeal and perceived quality. Replace worn or damaged carpet.
Lighting: Update outdated fixtures and ensure all bulbs are working and turned on for every showing.
Paint
Paint: Peeling, bubbling, or fading paint—inside or out—signals neglect and discourages buyers.
Exterior wood: decks, porches, and stairs benefit greatly from fresh stain or paint but must also be checked for water, mold, or termite damage.
Hardwood floors, when newly refinished add a significant “wow factor” and are an excellent cost-effective upgrade.
Exterior and Curb Appeal
Landscaping: Mow regularly, trim shrubs, remove debris, edge walkways, and add fresh flowers for color.
Exterior Surfaces: A fresh coat of paint or stain boosts curb appeal; pressure washing vinyl, stone, and masonry makes a dramatic difference.
Windows & Doors: The front door and garage door are top curb-appeal items with excellent ROI. They must look exceptionally cared for and operate flawlessly.
Pools: Clean, clear, well-circulated water immediately signals proper maintenance. Structural cracks, torn liners, and failing mechanical components may signal costly repairs.
Septic System: As a critical health and safety item, the septic system must be inspected by a state-certified septic professional. Required upgrades may need to be completed before closing or paid from seller proceeds via escrow holdback.
Other Common Issues
Water stains on ceilings or walls raise automatic red flags for buyers; correct both the source AND the stain before showings.
Ventilation: Poor airflow in attics and basements contribute to mold growth. Causes must be corrected, and mold professionally remediated, as buyers with allergies cannot overlook these issues.
Surface Grading & Drainage: Improper grading often leads to wet basements, mold, soggy lawns, and pest issues. These problems can escalate dramatically if noted during inspections.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Ensure all units are functioning properly. Replace any detector that chirps or malfunctions—this is required for municipal inspection and prevents negative showing experiences.
Decluttering and Staging
- Home Appearance and Appeal: are addressed as a singular topic of importance below and accompanied by a useful download you can request because they are such a major factor in the success or failure of a home’s marketing and sales campaigns.
Home Inspections for Sellers
Homes are rarely sold without an inspection. In addition to the Appraisal that banks do without fail, they are also strongly interested in the inspection report and a satisfactory settlement of the inspection issues.
Cash buyers, who do not need a lender’s mortgage to close, have full discretion to buy without an inspection.
The key to dealing with inspections successfully is to begin early by evaluating your home’s condition and selecting the strategic upgrades you know would be flagged in an inspection. You can go into inspection knowing your outcome is predictable!
Inspection Preparation Overview
Reasons to complete a pre-inspection
Twenty-three percent of buyer offers fall through because a home inspection failed. But a home pre-inspection gives you an early warning on what a buyer’s inspector may discover, and a chance to eliminate or ameliorate potential issues.
In many cases there are alternative approaches to correcting or avoiding inspection complaints and the pre-inspector you hire will be happy to discuss those alternatives to your advantage. Deferred home maintenance impacts sales success in the amount buyers offer and the speed and urgency with which they submit offers.
It’s an indication of honesty
Doing a pre-inspection sends a clear signal that you’re not hiding anything. It may encourage higher or quicker offers. Even if a potential buyer decides to pay for their own inspection, your upgrades will enhance your home’s beauty, value and desirability.
It’s a negotiation strategy
Rather than being surprised by a major problem in a buyer’s inspection. Your preparation will give you confidence to stand firm on price when buyers bid low. Knowledge is both confidence and power. And knowledge positions you to be more selective and insightful with buyer offers.
Test Functionality of all Inspection Items
- Open and close windows and test locks and seals
- Flush all toilets and run all faucets
- Run any ceiling or bathroom fans
- Try all light switches
- Open and close garage doors manually and with the remote
- Test the garage door’s reverse safety setting
- Confirm weather stripping on doors is intact
- Ensure that downspouts are properly diverting water away from the home
- Check to make sure heating ducts are connected in crawl space
- Check that fan ducts are properly venting out of the attic
Address Safety and Security Precautions
- Replace batteries in smoke detectors
- Test carbon monoxide detector
- Have a fire extinguisher available
- Cap gas lines or chimney entry points
- Exterminate bugs or rodents
Make Necessary Repairs
- Replace light bulbs
- Re-caulk around bathtubs and sinks
- Repair any water damage in bathrooms
- Remove any drain clogs
- Update any dingy grout
- Replace torn screens and cracked windows
- Replace any missing roofing
- Replace damaged insulation in attic and crawl space
- Cover crawl space with 6 mm plastic sheeting
Complete exterior home improvements
- Sweep debris off the roof (or pressure wash if needed)
- Trim trees that are near or hanging over the roof line
- Clean out gutters
- Clear debris from around the A/C compressor, downspout drainage, and foundation vents
- Slope soil away from the home for water runoff
Make last-minute preparations for your inspection
- Plan to leave your home an hour early
- Take pets with you
- Leave remotes for garage door, ceiling fans, lights, etc.
- Leave keys for gates, outbuildings, and electrical boxes
- Turn on pilot light for gas-fired appliances, including the water heater
- Make sure all utilities are on
- Take laundry out of the washer and dryer
- Remove dishes from the sink and dishwasher
- Leave a sketch identifying the location of a well or septic tank
- Leave paperwork for any maintenance, repairs, or insurance claims
The Home Appeal Checklist
The home preparation task list seems endless when all of the work lies ahead and an additional challenge is the “how-to” of organizing it.
So that is why I developed this “Home Appeal Checklist” which is already organized by the rooms and outside areas of your home you already know! If you prefer, you can do all of the easy things in one room today and check them off.
But best of all, completion of this list puts you very far down the road to decluttering and staging your home! It available as a PDF download by using the sliding request form in the right-hand column.
It is very practical and has been used by dozens and dozens of people over the years. I hope you download it and enjoy it!
Sample Closing Cost Sheet
The sample to the right provides standard categories and typical amounts to prepare you for the deductions you will see against the proceeds of your home’s sale. These costs are not out-of-pocket expenses.
Buyers' Most Preferred Features
With the additional information regarding the features buyers prefer most in their next home, the task of project prioritization should become easier.
Home Upgrades with Best ROI - I
Now that you know the order of events for selling your home and the most most common inspection pitfalls, you have, no doubt, begun to consider which items you may need to address in your preparation phase.
Home Upgrades with Best ROI - II
This graph (right) is additional assistance in prioritizing the the projects you choose. Naturally, if there are items that cannot be avoided to close the sale, they would get to highest priority. And after that, knowing which additional projects would bring back the greatest Return on Investment at the closing table would be very valuable. Then check the graph below, as well!
Curb Appeal that Makes a Difference
Home Curb appeal creates a powerful first impression, significantly boosting perceived value, attracting more buyers, and leading to quicker, higher-priced sales. It signals good maintenance, encourages stronger interest, and enhances neighborhood appeal.
For Sellers
- First Impressions: It’s the first thing buyers see online and in person, influencing their desire to see the inside.
- Higher Sale Price: A beautiful exterior suggests a well-maintained interior, allowing sellers to ask for more and potentially sell for 7-10% more.
- Faster Sales: Attractive homes get more interest, leading to quicker sales and fewer days on the market.
- Online Appeal: Great curb appeal makes for eye-catching listing photos, essential for attracting online searches.
Key Elements of Curb Appeal
- Landscaping: Green lawn, trimmed shrubs, colorful flowers.
- Exterior Condition: Clean siding, fresh paint, intact roof, sparkling windows.
- Front Door: A welcoming, updated door with new hardware.
- Tidiness: Decluttered yard with no toys, bikes, or extra clutter.
Final Walk Through and Closing
The final walk-through. On the day of closing, a final home walkthrough inspection is conducted to verify that the home is clean, remains in the expected condition and that all repairs have been acceptably completed.
Close the sale. At the closing meeting, you will sign numerous legal documents, pay your remaining down payment and closing costs, and the title of the home will be transferred to you. Once all the paperwork is signed and funded, you get the keys!
HOME SELLER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
What makes a home more desirable and attractive than the competition?
- Your home doesn’t COMPETE against “similar homes” — it competes against all the BEST AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES. Buyers compare your home to the strongest alternatives they can find right now. One better-prepared home can drain demand away from many other homes.
- Guidance: Pricing and presentation must excel. In my Seller Consultations, I ensure that my clients understand what a competitive home profile is and how to prepare and project your home for that look, feel and sales experience. Your successful sales journey begins with a call to me at (973) 987-7065.
What is the price that will produce the most and best offers (even competing offers) for my home?
- Your first price will be the most powerful price your home will ever have. It must be perceived as correct and fair. A good agent’s Home Valuation (CMA) can be very helpful. The moment a home hits the market is when curiosity, urgency, and need peak. Follow-on price adjustments rarely reestablish as much compelling momentum.
- Guidance: Aim to be compelling when you first launch, not “safe and flexible.”
How can I get the highest possible price?
- Overpricing doesn’t protect your negotiating power — it erodes it! Buyers don’t negotiate down from inflated prices; they often don’t engage at all. Their silence is your feedback and it is easy to miss!
- Guidance: Accurate (right-) pricing invites competition. Buffered (high) pricing discourages offers and puts you in a waiting phase while days-on-market increase. Fair prices for well-prepared homes is the best way to encourage competitive bidding resulting in elevated price offers.
Why not price-in a buffer to help out with price and inspection negotiations?
- Accurate, right-priced homes attract competing bids and higher price offers. But follow-on price reductions do not erase initial pricing impressions. Price reductions are perceived to be the results of pricing errors. A price reduction signals something didn’t work. Even when justified, it alters buyer psychology.
- Guidance: Accurate pricing or the fewest possible reductions get to closing in the least amount of time.
How can I prioritize repairs and preparation efforts to MINIMIZE time and expense to closing?
- Buyer’s internet value judgments happen in seconds — before showings ever occur. Most buyers decide whether your home is “worth seeing” long before they step inside.
- Guidance: Pricing, photos (condition), and market preparation must work together — no single fix can compensate for deficiencies in the others.
What things do buyers see in a home that inspire or discourage buying urgency?
- Buyers rarely score (enumerate) their home visits — their definition of AFFORDABILITY includes any projected post-purchase adjustments they would need to achieve their desired/intended LIFESTYLE. Today’s buyers wisely stretch financially to cover the purchase price of their next home and are strongly biased against alternatives that involve post-purchase project expenses. The most common brush-off is “The Kitchen and all of the bathrooms will have to be renovated.” Translation: “I cannot live with some of the things I am seeing here for the next 10 years. I think it will be easier to find a better alternative.”
- Guidance: As experienced brokers, we can help you identify the conditions and expenses that reduce buyer urgency. Normally, in the American Dream, the next home is impressively beautiful and 100% move-in-ready without upgrades or renovations.
Which minor blemishes are not perceived to be objectionable to a typical buyer?
- “They’ll renovate it anyway” is a common seller assertion. The mistaken assumption is that today’s buyers plan and budget to renovate (or at least upgrade) the home they are about to buy. But deferred maintenance items cost more during inspection negotiations than when corrected during the sales preparation phase. Today’s buyers wisely stretch financially to cover the purchase price of their next home and are strongly biased against alternatives that involve post-purchase project expenses.
- Guidance: Homes that feel easy to move into attract higher offers. The best approach is to eliminate questionable – especially expensive defects – before buyers project their own worst-case estimates.
What is included in the words declutter and staging?
- What is included in the words declutter and staging?
- Cleanliness and organization signal custodial maintenance and value — dirt and clutter signal delay, work and expense.
- When buyers mentally subtract delay, work and expense from cluttered or poorly maintained spaces, even beautiful homes lose their appeal.
- Guidance: The easier it feels to imagine living there, the higher the perceived value.
Why are neutral color palettes and personalization reduction recommended for home sales?
- Neutralization of color palettes doesn’t mean “bland” and decluttering does include minimization of distracting personal and lifestyle effects. The goal isn’t to erase personality, but to remove distractions.
- Guidance: Distraction removal permits buyers to project their life in that space, without first decoding yours.
Do today’s buyers share my interest in minimizing the time to closing?
- Actually, homes don’t sell gradually — they sell quickly unless something hampers the sale!!!
- Anxious buyers check for new homes every day. Attractive, well-prepared homes generate strong buyer urgency and immediate and urgent clustering of showing appointments. This momentum is created deliberately and the response is immediate and urgent – not gradual or delayed.
- Guidance: Your real estate professional knows how to create and market this urgent excitement. I provide all my customers with a personalized consultation that describes the entire preparation process in a project format to ensure that the precious, short launch window is not wasted or lost. It is irreplaceable!
Why are buyers always asking how many days my home has been on the market?
- Days on market quietly and irreversibly redefines your buyer pool – your buyer audience!
- Early interest comes from motivated buyers. Later interest often comes from cautious or opportunistic buyers. Buyers compare the days-on-market number for your home against the normal average for DOM in your area. That is all they need to know to form an opinion (fair or unfair) about the desirability, appeal and success of your home’s sale.
- Guidance: Protect your early sales window — it shapes everything that follows. I provide all my customers with a personalized consultation that describes the entire preparation process in a project format to ensure that the precious, short launch window is not wasted or lost. It is irreplaceable!
How will I know when the right buyer shows up to buy my home?
- Waiting for “the right buyer” is a misplaced focus and concern. The “right buyer” is the one who arrives early to see your home with their pre-approval in hand and demonstrates strong and clear interest in making you an offer immediately. The offer usually arrives that evening or the next day!
- Guidance: Position your home so that all buyers can recognize its strong and competitive value from the photographs I will put on the internet – even before they come to see your home. Follow the sales preparation plan I will give you to eliminate both real and perceived defects. You will have multiple “Right Buyers” for your home!
How can I minimize the house cleaning and time commitment that showings and open houses impose?
- Inconvenient and restricted showing windows impose heavy setbacks on your sales prospects for success. Limited access, inconvenient and restricted showing windows DRAMATICALLY restrict your buyer audience.
- Guidance: Accessibility enhances or reduces your opportunity to get the competitive pricing you need to be successful. It is not a courtesy or imposition. Imagine your buyer with excited urgency who fell in love with your photos on the internet, and is now told they must wait until next Tuesday at 6:00 PM to visit! Your real estate professional knows what the industry-wide showing standards are and will advise that you utilize those time-honored traditions to the max.
What is the secret to successful contract and inspection negotiations?
- Negotiation begins long before contract offers arrive. Neither marketing strategy or negotiating excellence can compensate for inadequate or incomplete home preparation and presentation.
- How a home is prepared, priced and presented sets the tone for every sales conversation. Market exposure amplifies what already exists; it doesn’t change or disguise the fundamentals.
- Guidance: A strong market presence is built early and quietly. Get the basics right before turning up the volume. James is a
- Certified Real Estate Negotiator, a
- Certified Professional Photographer, a
- Certified International Property Specialist, and a
- Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist.
- His Home Preparation Consultations are designed to share all the information you need to know to prepare for a highly successful sale and his many certifications will be fully utilized to guide you when
- maximizing your income based on the right-pricing parameters he recommends,
- make buyers fall in love with your home before they get up from seeing his photos for the first time on the internet,
- he reviews their offer with you,
- they present their inspection report with requests that have to be negotiated.
What if problems arise in the latter phases of the sales process?
What if problems arise in the latter phases of the sales process?
Accepted offers still fail — often for preventable and avoidable reasons. These challenges may be connected with these stress points: Inspections, financing, concessions and appraisal gaps
- Inspection issues are about leverage, not perfection. No home is flawless. The question is about how exposed you are. Remember, You will have a Market Preparation Consultation before you ever go to market which will provide all of the information you will need to know about necessary home preparations to meet buyer’s expectations, be prepared for the inspector’s prying eyes, holding a strong position in negotiations
- Appraisals follow data — not emotion. Strong offers don’t guarantee smooth financing. But appraisals are mostly a challenge for the buyers to address. James attends all appraisal appointments and hands the appraiser current comps for your home that justify the price that we set. Often they also provide coverage for offers over the asking price. Appraisers are happy to include these supporting documents in their bank reports.
Certifiable Qualifications and Expertise that Ensure a Smooth and Profitable Transaction
You will enjoy many benefits and advantages by choosing to work with James Bean and his Associates that will ensure a smooth and successful outcome from the purchase or sale of your home. James has a long and storied business background with numerous credentials and achievements that support and inform the excellent performance he enjoys in real estate. While many previous professional degrees and certifications have been omitted from the following list, those that remain are significant and valuable advantages to you in buying or selling your home.
The following credentials make direct and significant contributions to the excellence of the day-to-day success of the associates’ real estate business management. With respect to the advantages documented on the page above, the certifications in pricing, negotiations, project management, luxury home marketing, professional photography, and aerial photography provide all of our clients with verifiably superior marketing products and presence; smother, timelier and more profitable transaction outcomes; and a well-developed and reliable brand presence to support clients with an advantageous platform when they enter the local, regional and international market places.
- MBA, Business Administration, Villanova University (DATA TABLE)
- MPM, Project Management, George Washington University
- Certified Project Management Professional
- NCJAR and HGAR Professional Standards Committees
- Certified Real Estate Negotiator (CREN)
- Certified Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA)
- Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) and world traveler
- Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS)
- Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) and business owner
- Licensed Federal Aviation Administration Aerial Drone Pilot
We look forward to inviting you aboard our successful and growing real estate enterprise. We have many happy clients, well-developed systems, brand recognition, operational marketing channels, orientational literature you can request and highly-qualified and experienced professionals ready to provide you with the success you are looking for. We look forward to working with you!!!
Stay In Touch!
M - (973) 987-7065
James Bean
beanjc@gmail.com
Primary Office: Coldwell Banker Realty 24 White Deer Pl, Sparta, NJ 07871 Office: (973) 222-6521
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