Seller's Guide

Everything you need to know about putting your home on the market, accepting an offer, and closing on your home.

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: Understand Why You're Selling

Selling your home is a big decision. There could be many reasons why it is time to sell. 

By asking and understanding your motives, this will be the foundation of how we craft the sale of your home together for the smoothest experience with the least stress.

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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. I don't guess. I use Market Data and look at your home like an appraiser would.  

Getting the price right from the beginning is why my listings sell fast. 

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Step 3: Start Preparations

If you’ve kept your home in showroom condition since you’ve lived in it, you’re in the minority of homeowners! 

Compass Concierge was designed to help you fix your home, ready it for photos, pay for staging, anything you need. Compass knows a home that shows well gets top dollar so we give you the money upfront with no interest fees.

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Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

I have a trusted marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, print ads, google ads and SEO advertising. 

Compass.com gets the highest amount of hits from consumer search. And with my network of 30,000 agents nationwide, you get more eyes on your listing than with anyone else.

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Step 5: Evaluate Offers

Receiving offers is when my negotiation skills really pay off. Making sure the offer accepted is the one you want when it is all done. 

I manage the process right down to signing to keep the deal on track and not going "back on the market".  That's where my 100% closed transactions stat will give you peace of mind.

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Step 6: Accept an Offer

Once the offer is accepted, the negotiations are not over. There are contingency hurdles, loan approvals, getting the home to appraise at the contracted amount...all these aspects can require renegotiations right down to the day of closing.

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Step 7: Get Ready to Close

Getting ready to close can be stressful too. If you are buying another home and the closings need to be timed perfectly, movers setup, utilities transferred. 

That is the best part of working with Compass. I have agents anywhere you want to move to and can help you get to where you are going with the same seamless process.

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Step 8: Close

Its all over but the signing. The last step in the Sellers Journey. I will be with you right down to this last step to insure all the monies are distributed correctly and be there to answer or explain any final questions.

Congratulations!

Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.

Our Testimonials

See why our clients love working with us
Rich S.

Rich S.

I enjoyed working with Trish to find my new home. She found many houses within my budget and fitting my requirements. She's friendly and easy to work with. Trish informed me about what to look for in a home to say if it's a goo...
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Kevin C.

Kevin C.

Trish was very professional and proactive in selling the house in Redding. She took on more than she needed to in getting the house ready for sale since we were out-of-town sellers. I would definitely recommend Trish as an outs...
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Shelene H.

Shelene H.

Trish was fantastic with the sale of real estate in a family trust! She kept all trustees up to date on all the details, had a strong marketing plan and had an offer to us much faster than the average days on market for the are...
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George O.

George O.

Trish was the best. She helped us find our new home! She was very patient with us as we looked at multiple houses before we found the perfect one. She was also great when we sold our old home and walked us through a tricky escr...
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Heidi R.

Heidi R.

Trish Elste has proved a dedicated and caring Real Estate partner with my recent purchase in Northern California. She has been by my side through an “almost” purchase that took a considerable time commitment on her part only to...
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Victoria E.

Victoria E.

Trish is not only informed on green building topics for residences (so important), but she is a compassionate communicator and keeps the process moving! Her attention to the important details is also outstanding.
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Karen J.

Karen J.

Trish was great to work with while selling my parents property after their deaths. She knows the market and buyers. Her expertise allowed us to sell the property in 3 months.
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Michelle T.

Michelle T.

In a very difficult time in my life {the death of a spouse}. Trish was able to help walk me through the sale of a property to pay off the medical debt. Without Trish, the stress would have been overbearing.
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Jeannine F.

Jeannine F.

Tony and I worked with Trish a few years ago and she was a delight to work with. Trish was very accommodating and professional, she worked with our schedule and found us properties that met all of our requirements. I recommend ...
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Nirupa S.

Nirupa S.

Trish Elste helps us secure our first home in California. Her expertise allowed for a smooth process with no surprises and in a competitive real estate market her guidance and advice was critical during negotiations. Even after...
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