Listing Your Home

Have a (marketing) plan

Work with your agent (if you are not selling your home on your own) to develop a detailed marketing plan for attracting buyers to your home. This will include listing the home on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to maximize exposure to other agents and buyers as well as other advertising tactics (open houses, virtual tours, flyers, etc.).

Show, show, show

Make sure you’ve also got a plan when the home goes on the market. Potential buyers may be touring the property at various times—and sometimes without much notice—so you’ll need to ensure the house stays clean, valuables are locked away, and pets are safe.

Tip: If your home isn’t getting buyers’ attention and has been on the market for a while, it may be time to look at other options, such as reducing the price or adding other incentives (e.g., paying closing costs) to entice buyers. Each market is different, but the longer the house sits for sale, the harder to sell it usually becomes. Some homeowners may even decide to take the home off the market and relist at a later date. You may also want to think about leasing your home for a period. Talk to your agent to review the best options for your situation.