When it comes to selling your home, you may think that all you have to do is stage your home, place it on the market, and negotiate a selling price. However, these are just basic steps of the home selling process. In some instances, it can take a year or more for this process to come to a close. Here is a look at the entire process of selling your home and the steps that you should follow.

1. Decide Whether to Enlist the Services of a Realtor

Though you can sell your property yourself, it will take a lot of research and time to do so. Not only will you need to assess the property's value and market the home, but you will also need to show the home to potential buyers, deal with legal contracts, and negotiate the sale. Rather than handling these tasks yourself, you may want to consider hiring a realtor.

2. Prepare the Home for Listing

To determine the listing price for your home, you should compare the home to similar listings in the area with similar square footage and features and/or contact an assessor. If you have enlisted a realtor, they will likely generate a fair market value report to assist in this decision.

3. Market the Property

As soon as the listing price has been determined, it is time to advertise the property so that prospective buyers are aware the home is for sale. Photos are necessary for online listings, which also need a thorough description of the home and property, including the HVAC system, acreage, etc.

4. Accept the Best Offer

Hopefully, you will receive multiple offers from potential buyers. However, when looking over the bids that you receive, don't just jump to the highest offer. Instead, take a close look at how each offer will be financed. Pre-approval letters are always better than pre-qualification letters. When an offer is accepted, keep in mind that you will need to have the home inspected and pay for any repairs that the buyer informs you are non-negotiable. If you fail to do this, the sale falls through and you must start all over.

5. Close the Deal

Once everything else has been completed, a real estate attorney will oversee the ownership transfer. Once the possession of the property has been officially transferred, you will receive a check in the amount of the selling price, minus closing costs, real estate fees, and attorney fees.

For more information, contact a home selling realtor in your area.