Home Seller Resource Guide

Buyers decide what a home is worth by comparing it with the other homes they can buy today. What you paid, what you put into it and a neighbor’s sale from years ago do not move them.

Interest is highest in the first weeks a home is on the market. Buyers who have been watching the area see it right away, and that is often when the best offers arrive.

When the price starts too high

• Buyers who search by price range never see the listing
• The home makes the competition look like a better value
• Days on market climb, and buyers wonder what is wrong
• A high offer can fall short at appraisal
• Reductions later often end below where a market price would have started

My report gives you the numbers and a realistic range. The price you choose is yours.

Your photos are the first showing for almost every buyer. Work through this list before the photographer arrives, and come back to it before each showing.

Throughout the house

• Clear surfaces, turn on every light, open the blinds
• Put away cords, mail and personal photos

Kitchen

• Clear the counters, empty the sink, take magnets off the fridge
• Hide the trash can, sponges and dish soap

Bathrooms

• Hang fresh towels, clean the mirrors, close toilet lids
• Store toiletries and shower bottles out of view

Bedrooms

• Make the beds, close closets, clear nightstands

Outdoors

• Move cars off the driveway and close the garage
• Mow the lawn, store hoses and tools, set out the patio furniture

• Photos, tour and staging. Professional photos, an upscale virtual tour and virtual staging where it helps.
• MLS and Realtor.com. Full MLS exposure and full exposure on Realtor.com, where buyers and their agents search.
• Douglas Elliman website. Your home is featured on the Douglas Elliman website.
• Email and social media. Email marketing to my contacts and posts across my social media, plus a printed brochure for showings.
• Open houses and broker opens. Public open houses for buyers, broker open houses for the agents who bring them, scheduled around you.
• Regular updates. I report showing activity and feedback as it comes in, so you always know where things stand.

Since 2024, sellers make more of the compensation decisions themselves. The main points:

• My fee is negotiable, and it is set in writing in the listing agreement before we start.
• Whether to offer compensation to the buyer’s agent is your choice. Those offers are no longer published on the MLS, but they can still be made, and buyer concessions can still appear on the MLS.
• No payment goes to a buyer’s agent without your written approval of the amount.
• Helping with some buyer costs can bring more buyers into range. We decide together whether it makes sense for your home.

Your own inspection first

An inspection before listing shows you what a buyer’s inspector will find. You can repair on your own schedule, price with the full picture, and avoid surprises during negotiation. It is optional, and older homes benefit most.

A home warranty for the buyer

A one year warranty on major systems and appliances can make a listing stand out and cut down on calls after closing. It is optional, and I will tell you honestly whether it is worth it for your home.

Roof and insurance records

Florida buyers and their insurance companies will ask about the roof. Pull together permits, receipts and any wind mitigation report now. Complete records help keep a contract together.

Before closing

• Schedule utility shut offs and give a forwarding address
• Submit a change of address with the post office
• Set aside keys, remotes, warranties and manuals for the buyer
• Request medical, dental and vet records and refill prescriptions
• Stop or move deliveries, lawn service and pool service
• Bring a photo ID to closing

After closing

• Make sure the utilities are out of your name
• Update your driver’s license, vehicle registration and voter address
• Cancel or move your homestead exemption with the county
• File your closing documents where you can find them at tax time