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Prepare the property
Decide what to repair, clean, remove, store, improve, or leave alone based on cost, condition, competition, and likely return.
CN
Candice Nichole
Real Estate Alaska
Southcentral Alaska Home Seller Hub
Know what selling your home involves before the sign goes in the yard.
Understand the preparation, paperwork, costs, showings, negotiations, inspections, appraisal, title work, moving pieces, and possible surprises that can come with selling a home.
The Big Picture
Selling is more than choosing a price and waiting for an offer.
A good plan accounts for your goals, timing, home condition, estimated proceeds, showing needs, moving plans, contract deadlines, and the possibility that a buyer may request repairs or closing-cost help.
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Prepare financially
Estimate the mortgage payoff, selling expenses, possible concessions, moving costs, and the amount you may receive after closing.
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Prepare for uncertainty
Offers, inspections, appraisal, title issues, financing, weather, repairs, and moving logistics can change the plan.
The Selling Process
From the first conversation to closing.
Set your goals and timing
Discuss why you are selling, your ideal timeline, whether you need to buy another home, and any financial minimums.
Review the market and pricing strategy
Compare recent sales, active competition, property condition, location, and current buyer behavior.
Prepare the home and paperwork
Complete disclosures, gather property information, plan repairs or staging, and prepare for photography and showings.
Launch the listing
Market the property, coordinate access, collect feedback, monitor competition, and adjust strategy when needed.
Review and negotiate offers
Compare price, financing, contingencies, requested credits, closing timeline, possession, and the buyer's overall ability to perform.
Inspection and due diligence
The buyer may investigate the property and request repairs, credits, price changes, or other terms allowed by the contract.
Appraisal, title, and buyer financing
Separate professionals work through value, title requirements, loan conditions, insurance, and closing preparation.
Final preparation, signing, and recording
Complete agreed work, prepare the property for possession, sign closing documents, and wait for recording and disbursement.
Estimated Net Proceeds
Build a rough picture of what may remain after selling expenses.
This calculator is educational only. Your title company, mortgage servicer, tax professional, and transaction documents should confirm actual amounts.
Estimated seller proceeds
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Estimated sale price
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Mortgage payoff
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Estimated compensation
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Other selling costs
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Total estimated deductions
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Compensation and concessions are negotiable. Actual payoff, taxes, prorations, title charges, liens, repairs, and closing figures may differ.
CMA Request
Start with a personalized market analysis.
A comparative market analysis considers your home's location, condition, features, recent sales, active competition, and current market positioning.
What helps create a useful CMA
- Property address and basic features
- Recent upgrades or major repairs
- Current condition and known concerns
- Your preferred timing and reason for selling
- Any loan payoff or financial goal you want considered
The form opens an email to Candice with the information you enter.
Possible Seller Costs
Plan for more than the mortgage payoff.
Before listing
- Repairs and maintenance
- Cleaning and hauling
- Staging or storage
- Landscaping or snow removal
- Pre-listing inspections when chosen
- Moving preparation
At closing
- Mortgage and lien payoffs
- Negotiated brokerage compensation
- Title, escrow, and recording charges
- Taxes and prorations
- HOA documents, dues, or transfer charges
- Other agreed transaction expenses
Possible negotiated costs
- Buyer closing-cost credit
- Rate buydown contribution
- Inspection repairs or credit
- Appraisal-related adjustment
- Home warranty
- Special moving or possession arrangements
Compare Offers
The highest price is not always the strongest offer.
Review the full combination of price, financing, requested credits, contingencies, deadlines, and risk.
| Offer term | Why it matters | Questions to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | Sets the starting gross amount but does not show the seller's final net. | How does the price compare after credits, repairs, and other costs? |
| Financing | Affects appraisal, property requirements, timelines, and approval risk. | Is the buyer pre-approved? Are there financing or sale contingencies? |
| Seller-paid costs | Credits and requested compensation reduce net proceeds. | What is the estimated net after every requested contribution? |
| Inspection terms | Can affect negotiation risk, deadlines, and repair exposure. | What inspections are requested, and how long is the contingency? |
| Appraisal terms | A low appraisal can affect financing and renegotiation. | Does the offer include any appraisal-gap protection or limits? |
| Closing and possession | The strongest date may be the one that works best with your move. | When do you sign, record, move out, and transfer possession? |
Seller Checklist
Prepare the home, paperwork, finances, and move.
Check items as you complete them. Your progress is saved on this device.
Property and paperwork
Finances and moving
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Closing Preparation
Common questions as the transaction moves toward the finish line.
When should I start packing?
Start organizing early, but avoid making irreversible plans until the transaction is stable. Coordinate movers, storage, travel, and possession around the contract and current closing status.
What should remain with the property?
Follow the purchase agreement and any addenda. Fixtures, personal property, keys, remotes, fuel, equipment, and excluded items should be clearly documented.
What happens during the buyer's final walk-through?
The buyer generally confirms the property's condition, agreed repairs, included items, and readiness for possession. It is not usually a new inspection.
When do I receive my proceeds?
Signing does not always mean immediate disbursement. The title company follows funding, recording, payoff, and disbursement requirements before releasing proceeds.
Should I cancel insurance and utilities before recording?
Coordinate the exact timing with the appropriate providers and transaction professionals. Ending coverage or service too early can create unnecessary risk.
Key Terms
Plain-language definitions for sellers.
Comparative Market Analysis
An analysis of recent sales, active competition, property features, condition, location, and market trends used to discuss pricing.
Listing agreement
The contract that describes the brokerage relationship, services, responsibilities, term, and compensation.
Seller disclosure
Information provided by the seller about known property conditions and other required matters.
Contingency
A contract condition tied to items such as financing, inspection, appraisal, title, or another property sale.
Seller concession
A negotiated seller contribution toward certain buyer costs, subject to the contract and financing limits.
Appraisal
An independent opinion of value generally ordered by the buyer's lender for a financed purchase.
Title commitment
A preliminary title document showing ownership, requirements, exceptions, and items that may need resolution.
Net proceeds
The estimated amount remaining after payoffs, compensation, taxes, fees, credits, repairs, and other seller expenses.
Every sale has its own moving pieces
Estimates and general explanations are useful planning tools, but the signed contract, title figures, lender requirements, property condition, negotiations, and professional advice control the actual transaction.
Considering a sale?