Seller's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Seller's Guide

Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced agent and this easy to follow guide, you can smoothly complete the process. Following these steps will help you prepare so you can get organized and sell your home for the best price possible.​​​​​​​

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Step 1: Make Preparation to Show Your Home

Showing Your Home
After we’ve prepped your house for sale, taken photos, and set a price, we’re ready for the public to see your home.
 
What is a showing?
A showing takes place either at an open house, which is a scheduled session when anyone can come by without an appointment, or during an appointment scheduled with me.

What can I expect when showing my house?
Three important things you can do to help get your house sold are:
  •  Leave when your house is being shown. Buyers prefer to look at homes when they can move around freely and the owners aren’t there.
  • Make your house as available as possible. While it may be inconvenient to show your home at certain times, buyers who can’t see a property when they’re eager may cross it off their list.
  • Listen to any feedback from buyers or their agents about ways you can make your home more appealing.

We’ll work together to ensure maximum exposure and a faster sale.

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Step 2: Determine Selling Price

Knowing how to price your home is one of the most important parts of the selling process. When you set a fair price in the beginning, you’ll get the most interest from other real estate agents and prospective buyers. Overpricing your home could lead to reduced interest, and underpricing leads to receiving less than what your home is worth. Working with a real estate agent is the best way to determine the right selling price for your home. An agent with experience can determine what other comparable homes are selling for, evaluate the current market, and may even suggest a home appraisal.

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Step 3: Open House / Marketing Strategy

Market and host open house to create buzz around listing. Open house brings in more traffic if home is priced and marketed correctly.

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Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

I will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing through social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, traditional media, or SEO advertising. My team creates a marketing campaign that aims to get the most possible traffic to your listing in the first three weeks after becoming a client.

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Step 5: Appraisal

As you near the end of your home sale journey, one of the last remaining steps is getting your home appraised. I’ll help you gather the necessary materials and prepare for the appraiser’s visit.

What is an appraisal?
An appraisal is an objective valuation of your property that serves as a safeguard for the buyer and the buyer’s lender. While the buyer pays for an appraisal, the appraiser actually works for the lender. While an appraiser may look at some of the same things as a home inspector, the result is an appraised value of your property rather than a condition report.
 
How can an appraisal affect my home sale?
An appraisal could require a renegotiation if the property value comes in lower than the sales price. The appraised value dictates the maximum amount the lender will allow the buyers to borrow, minus their down payment. Depending on how the contract was written, if the appraisal is low, we can:
  • Ask the buyer to come up with extra cash to make up the difference between the loan amount and the purchase price.
  • Reduce your price to the appraised value.
  • Split the difference with the buyer.
  • Cancel the contract.

Should this happen, we’ll explore all available options in the context of the contract and market conditions.

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Step 6: Smoke Inspection

In order to be able to sell your home we must provide a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate.

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Step 7: Final Water Meter Read

A final water meter read is required prior to closing.

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Step 8: Close

We’re nearly there! There are a few remaining steps to close on the sale of your house...

What should I do before the closing?
Before closing day, you’ll need to:
  • Take care of repairs required by the contract.
  • Keep all receipts and invoices and before-and-after photos of repairs.
  • Gather all appliance manuals and warranties for your buyers.
  • Hire a mover.
  • Cancel all utilities for the day after you move.
  • Cancel newspaper subscriptions.
  • Change your address.
  • Review all settlement documents, especially the settlement statement.
  • Check the property survey to be sure it’s correct.
  • Clean the house.
  • Prepare for the buyers’ final walk-through.
What’s next?
After the closing, you’ll:
  • Receive the proceeds from the sale, usually by wire transfer.
  • Cancel your homeowners insurance “post-close” – to make sure you’re covered on that day.
  • Save your closing documents and home improvement records for taxes.

Congratulations!

You’ve successfully sold your home. After close, make sure to keep in touch with me for all of your future real estate or home ownership needs. Further down the road, should you ever want to buy or sell, I’ll be here. You’ll always have my number, and I’ll always be ready to spring into action.

Testimonials

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  • Debbie was not just our real estate agent but our partner in the home-buying process. She came highly recommended by a good friend and lived up to that recommendation in every way. We had a very specific set of criteria for our new home and Debbie helped us to find the perfect property. She respected our budget ceiling and her expert advice allowed us to come out on top of multiple bidders. Debbie was there for the home inspector's entire visit and stayed for over an hour afterward as we went over his report. She checked in regularly as we applied and were approved for financing. She also negotiated an excellent credit from the seller and ensured th...
    — Kiki V.
  • Debbie was a great Realtor® - I bought my first home and also sold it a few years later, both times with her representing me. She is very knowledgeable about the Greater Boston area real estate as well as all other aspects of real estate in general. She was very helpful in both transactions, especially since I am based out of town, assisting me with various inspections and helping with various other tasks related to buying and selling the condo. I also appreciate her prompt communication and her commitment to find us the best deal. I have already recommended Debbie to family and friends, and look forward to working with her on other real estate inve...
    — Buyer & Seller
  • Debbie is amazing! She is the expert in her field, and most notably, with real estate sales in Jamaica Plain. The current pandemic and its effects on real estate sales concerned me, but Debbie proved herself with nine offers in two days, and the house was only on the market for five days! My phenomenal experience was only possible due to her vast knowledge, marketing forte, and, most of all, her communication - she advised and informed me every step of the way. Thank you, Debbie - I look forward to doing business with you again and again!
    — George V.
  • I just saw your advert email. Just want to touch base with you and Say another thank you for helping me to sell my house in 2013. I will never forget your kindness and assistance. Hope you remember -Pastor Jacob Oni, 17/19 Lambert Avenue, Roxbury – a house that you sold for me. Thank you again and I wish you the best always. When I am buying or selling gain, I will reach out to you. God bless you richly, Amen.
    — Jacob O.
  • Debbie is the real deal. She helped me purchase my first home and was extremely helpful in navigating the space. She was such an excellent advocate for me, constantly asking all the right questions and making sure I knew all the ins and outs of this place I was about to buy. She is diligent, attentive, and very knowledgeable. I will definitely be sending any friends looking for a Realtor® Debbie's way.
    — Maryanna V.
  • Debbie is awesome. My wife and I have been working with her for about ten years and have completed several transactions with her as our agent. This includes purchasing multiple properties, two condos, and a single family, as well as renting and managing one of the condos. She has always been responsive, knowledgeable, and thorough in her dealings with us and I would highly recommend her.
    — Seller
  • With Debbie's help, I've purchased a condo, sold a condo, and purchased a single-family home. Through each of these large life decisions and processes, Debbie has been tremendously kind, patient, professional, and knowledgeable. In fact, I might not have undertaken the second two without her support. You won't find a more attentive real estate agent than Debbie Adamidis.
    — Jennifer A
  • Her knowledge, expertise, responsiveness, and negotiation skills are extremely above and beyond the call of duty. She demonstrates perfection in her professionalism. Debbie Adamidis has assisted me with several transactions. I have always been thoroughly satisfied with her professionalism.
    — Jackie L.
  • Debbie was responsive, and persistent and succeeded in helping me find a new home that answered my specific needs. She understood what was suitable for me, and made it work - and all in record time!
    — Kenneth A.
  • Debbie always reaches my expectations. Whether you’re a buyer or seller Debbie always has your interests as a priority.
    — Dan J.
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My extensive knowledge of Boston's investment real estate market is unparalleled. My clients have consistently sought my advice and trusted my judgement on multi-million dollar deals.

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Contact Details

Debbie Adamidis

Phone

(617) 510-6019

Email

debbie@BostonREpros.com

Address

607 Boylston St Ste 500 Boston MA 02116

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