There is more to a successful sale than putting a sign in the yard.
The best approach depends on your property, market conditions, your schedule, and the tradeoffs you're willing to make. Use this guide to prepare better questions and more informed decisions.
Define your goals and timing
Start with the outcome you need: a target move date, a desired net amount, a possible purchase of your next home, or flexibility around possession. These priorities affect pricing, offer evaluation, and your overall plan.
- Identify your preferred timeline and any nonnegotiable dates.
- Review existing mortgage balances or other liens with your closing professionals.
- Consider whether you need to sell before buying another property.
Prepare your property thoughtfully
Presentation should help buyers understand the space. Discuss condition, maintenance, cleaning, accessibility for showings, photography, and whether specific repairs or improvements are worth the cost.
- Address safety issues and obvious maintenance concerns.
- Gather receipts, warranties, surveys, permits, and relevant HOA information you already have.
- Decide how pets, valuables, and showing access will be managed.
Price for the market you have
A pricing discussion should evaluate relevant nearby sales and competition, property features, condition, and current buyer behavior. Automated valuations can be a starting point, but they do not replace a property-specific assessment.
Ask to review more than one scenario, including the risks of beginning above market expectations and the options if the response is limited.
Understand disclosures
Indiana generally requires sellers of covered one-to-four-unit residential property to complete a Seller’s Residential Real Estate Sales Disclosure describing known conditions, with statutory exceptions. Your brokerage should supply the current approved form and confirm whether the requirement applies to your sale.
Most housing built before 1978 is also subject to federal lead-based paint disclosure requirements. Sellers should disclose known information and provide required records and materials before the applicable contract is signed.
Plan the marketing and showings
Discuss the photographs, property description, listing information, launch timing, viewing arrangements, and how showing feedback will be collected. Be prepared to revisit the strategy if market response differs from expectations.
Marketing claims about square footage, property features, and restrictions should be reviewed for accuracy rather than assumed.
Evaluate the entire offer—not just the price
Purchase price matters, but so do financing terms, proposed closing date, earnest money, requested concessions, inspection provisions, appraisal terms, sale contingencies, and possession.
Broker compensation and other transaction costs should be discussed openly and reflected in the actual agreements; compensation is negotiable rather than automatically fixed.
Navigate the contract period
After an agreement is signed, inspections, financing, appraisal, title work, and other contract-specific milestones may affect the transaction. The parties' obligations and remedies depend on the signed documents and applicable law.
Keep communications organized, respond to requests promptly, and review any proposed repair agreement or amendment before signing.
Review the numbers and prepare for closing
Request a seller net estimate early and update it when the price, concessions, payoffs, taxes, or other costs change. Your actual closing documents—not a website calculator—determine final figures.
Coordinate utilities, access devices, personal property, move-out timing, and possession according to the signed agreement. Confirm wire instructions using a trusted, independently verified phone number before sending funds.
A simple seller checklist
Bring whatever you have. Missing items can be discussed during your consultation.
Useful official resources
For forms and legal requirements, rely on current official materials and advice specific to your transaction.
This guide is general educational information, not legal, tax, lending, or inspection advice. Specific disclosure requirements, contract deadlines, costs, and remedies vary by transaction and should be reviewed with your broker and appropriate qualified professionals. Verify current forms and requirements before use.