Curb & entry
- Fresh mulch, edged beds, trimmed shrubs
- Pressure-washed driveway, walks, and siding
- Clean or painted front door, new mat, working lights
- House numbers clearly visible
Seller's Guide
Selling your home, step by step.
From the first walkthrough to the closing table: what happens, in what order, and how to prepare so your home sells for its best price.
By Dawn Spencer · Last updated
My Action Plan
How I Help You Sell
Prepared, priced, and presented to stand out.
What my experience brings
- A staging and presentation eye. Small changes that make your home photograph beautifully and show even better.
- Twenty years of pricing in this market. Strategy built on real comparable sales and current competition.
- Negotiating on more than price. Financing, deposits, contingencies, and timing, all weighed to protect you.
Walkthrough and valuation
I tour your home, study recent sales and current competition, and give you a pricing strategy and a personal net sheet so you know your bottom line.
Preparation plan
A prioritized list of repairs, refreshes, and decluttering, focused on what buyers and their insurers will notice and skipping what won't pay off.
Staging and presentation
I guide furniture placement, lighting, color, and finishing touches room by room so your home photographs beautifully and shows even better.
Listing launch
Professional-quality photos, a compelling description, and launch timing designed to stand out on the MLS and every major home search site.
Showings and feedback
Showings scheduled around your life, with feedback shared after each and adjustments recommended if the market tells us something.
Offers and negotiation
I compare offers on more than price (financing, deposit, contingencies, timing) and negotiate terms that protect you.
Contract to close
I manage inspections, appraisal, repairs, and deadlines with your buyer's agent, lender, and title company until you hand over the keys.
The Process
The typical order of events
The work you do before listing has the biggest effect on your result. Presentation, pricing, and timing are where we focus first.
Valuation & strategy
Walkthrough, comparable sales, current competition, and your timeline and goals.
Listing agreement
We agree on price, marketing, showing instructions, and terms.
Preparation
Repairs, decluttering, cleaning, and curb appeal from a prioritized list.
Staging & photography
Rooms styled to photograph and show at their best.
Disclosures
Seller's disclosure, HOA documents, and any permits or warranties gathered in advance.
Launch
Your listing goes live on the MLS and the major home search sites.
Showings & feedback
Showings scheduled around your life, with feedback after each.
Offers & negotiation
We compare price, financing, deposit, contingencies, and closing date.
Inspections & repairs
The buyer inspects; we negotiate any repair requests or credits.
Appraisal & title
The buyer's lender appraises the home; the title company clears title and prepares closing documents.
Closing
Sign, hand over keys, and receive your proceeds.
Your Bottom Line
A sample seller net sheet
What will you actually walk away with? Here's an example $400,000 sale closing June 30, using Florida's fixed rates. I'll prepare a personal net sheet with your real payoff, taxes, and terms.
| Item | How it's calculated | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sale price | $400,000 | |
| Mortgage payoff | From your lender's payoff letter | Your balance |
| Doc stamps on the deed | $0.70 per $100 of the price | −$2,800 |
| Owner's title insurance | Florida's state-set rate: $5.75 per $1,000 up to $100,000, then $5.00 per $1,000 | −$2,075 |
| Property tax proration | Florida taxes are paid in arrears; you credit the buyer for the days you owned the home this year. On $6,000 annual taxes: 181 days | −$2,975 |
| Commissions | Per your listing agreement and any agreed buyer-broker compensation | Negotiated |
| Seller concessions or repair credits | Only if negotiated | Varies |
| HOA estoppel and title settlement fees | Set by the HOA and title company | Varies |
Who pays owner's title insurance and other items is set by your contract; in much of Northeast Florida the seller customarily does. Example figures are for illustration only.
Staging
Room-by-room staging checklist
Living areas
- Remove a third of the furniture
- Float seating around a focal point
- Matching warm bulbs in every lamp
- Clear, styled surfaces with a few larger pieces
Kitchen
- Counters nearly bare
- Spotless appliances, sink, and grout
- Updated hardware or lighting if dated
- Pantry and cabinets organized; buyers open them
Primary suite
- Crisp white or neutral bedding
- Matching nightstands and lamps
- Closets half empty
- Bathroom: new towels, clear counters, fresh caulk
Outdoor living
- Lanai and patio styled as a room
- Pool sparkling, equipment clean
- Screens repaired
- Lighting for twilight photos
Whole home
- Neutral paint where walls are bold or scuffed
- Personal photos and collections packed
- Odor-free: pets, smoke, and cooking
- Every bulb working, blinds open
Repairs
What's usually worth fixing
- Worth it: anything that would scare an insurer (roof leaks, old electrical panels, active plumbing leaks), safety items, visible damage, peeling paint, broken fixtures, and anything a buyer's inspector would flag on page one
- Often worth it: paint, lighting, hardware, flooring that's damaged, landscaping refresh
- Usually not: full kitchen or bath remodels, major additions, or upgrades to your personal taste right before listing
A pre-listing inspection can surface surprises early, so you can fix, disclose, or price for them on your terms.
Disclosures
What Florida sellers must disclose
- Known facts that materially affect the property's value and aren't readily observable to the buyer
- Known defects, past water intrusion, insurance claims, and unpermitted work, through the seller's disclosure form
- Florida contracts also include required notices about radon gas and the property tax disclosure summary, which warns buyers their taxes may change after purchase
- HOA or condo association disclosures and documents, where applicable
When in doubt, disclose, and consult a Florida real estate attorney about specific concerns.
Printable Checklist
Seller checklist
Before listing
- Gather your deed, survey, HOA contacts and documents, and recent utility bills
- Find warranties, permits, and receipts for major updates (roof, HVAC, water heater)
- Locate your wind mitigation report or schedule a new one; buyers' insurers will ask
- Request a mortgage payoff estimate
- Complete the seller's disclosure honestly and completely
Preparing the home
- Declutter every room, closet, and the garage
- Deep clean, including windows, grout, and ceiling fans
- Touch up paint and fix small items: leaks, doors, hardware, burned-out bulbs
- Refresh curb appeal: mulch, trimmed shrubs, clean entry, pressure-washed walks
- Service the HVAC and replace filters
- Stage the living area, kitchen, primary suite, and outdoor spaces
During showings
- Open blinds and turn on every light
- Set a comfortable temperature
- Put away valuables, medications, and personal papers
- Plan for pets to be out of the home
Under contract to closing
- Provide access for inspections and the appraisal
- Complete agreed repairs with receipts
- Keep the home and yard maintained through closing
- Schedule movers and transfer or cancel utilities after closing
- Leave keys, remotes, codes, and manuals for the buyer
- Forward your mail and update your address
Seller Questions
Common seller questions
What do I have to disclose when selling a home in Florida?
Florida sellers must disclose known facts that materially affect the value of the property and are not readily observable to the buyer. Your agent will provide a seller's disclosure form. When in doubt, disclose, and ask a real estate attorney about specific concerns.
Who usually pays for title insurance in Northeast Florida?
By local custom in much of Northeast Florida, the seller often pays for the owner's title insurance policy, but it is negotiable and set in the contract. Your agent can explain what is typical for your county.
How long does it take to sell?
It depends on price, condition, presentation, and the market. After you accept an offer, closing commonly takes about 30 to 45 days for a financed buyer.
Should I make repairs before listing?
Fix safety issues, anything that is clearly broken, and items that make the home look neglected. Big renovations right before a sale rarely pay for themselves. We decide together during the walkthrough.
See also: Florida closing costs and the moving checklist.
Free Packet
Want this as a PDF? Email me the seller packet.
Pricing, staging, costs, and the market: 5 guides from this site in one branded PDF, sent personally with a short note. No drip campaign, no spam.
Let's talk about where you're headed.
Buying, selling, building, or just exploring your options, call or text me any time.
Dawn Spencer, REALTOR® · Hi Real Estate