Are you looking into selling your house? Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the steps involved in getting your house on the market?

Selling a house is challenging — there’s no doubt about it.

Luckily, though, there are lots of resources out there that can simplify the process.

Read on to learn more about what to expect while trying to sell your house.

Expect to do Some Research

Figuring out the sale price for your house can be quite difficult.

Ask too much, and your house will sit on the market too long. Ask too little, and you might not have enough to pay for your new house and the costs associated with moving.

So, how do you figure out the sale price?

If you’re working with a real estate agent (highly recommended), they can do most of the calculations for you.

But, even if you have someone else handling the sale, it’s still helpful to know roughly how much your house is worth.

Check out a local real estate website or blog to see how much other houses in your area are being sold for.

It’s also helpful to calculate other expenses that will pop up during the sales process. This includes escrow fees, title insurance fees, and property taxes.

Plan on Making Renovations Before You Sell

Renovations are almost always required before selling a house (assuming you want to get top-dollar, of course).

Which renovations should you prioritize? If there are any major structural issues, like a roof that needs to be repaired or replaced, those home features should take top priority.

You might also want to consider updating your kitchen, the HVAC system, and the plumbing. The better these aspects of your house are, the faster it will likely sell.

In addition to these larger updates, smaller-scale issues like torn carpeting, damaged walls, or torn window screens should all be replaced.

These issues don’t take a lot of time or money to fix, but they can significantly improve the quality and appearance of your house.

Plan to Stage Your House

In addition to renovations, it’s also important to stage your house to make it more appealing to potential buyers.

Some people wonder whether or not staging is necessary, but it really can make a difference. Remember, staging makes it easier for people to visualize themselves living in your home.

Start by decluttering and cleaning up your house. You might want to consider renting a storage unit and keeping unnecessary furniture, out-of-season clothes, and other items.

Adding some nice decorations can also help make your home more inviting. Colorful throw pillows and eye-catching artwork are great additions.

You may want to adjust the lighting, too. The brighter your home is, the more open and inviting it will seem.

Expect Some Inconveniences

Whether you’re selling your home on your own or are working with a real estate agent, there are going to be times when the process is inconvenient.

This is especially true when it’s time for people to start coming in for showings.

It’s easy to feel frustrated when you constantly have to leave your home for showings.

Remember, though, that it’s a good sign to have a lot of showings. It means you’re likely to have a quick sale.

Keeping your house ready for showings can be frustrating, too.

But, if you do a lot of decluttering at the beginning, it’ll be easier to maintain the cleanliness throughout the sales process.

You might also want to consider boarding your pets or keeping them with a friend or family member. That way, there’s less mess to clean up before each showing.

Plan to Have a Home Inspection

Remember that you’ll need to have a home inspection, too.

Your real estate agent should be able to provide you with a checklist so that you know ahead of time what the inspector will be looking for.

Every inspection is a bit different. But, most inspectors look at things like plumbing, heat, air conditioning, the electrical system, and the functionality of all appliances (including the smoke detectors).

When you’re preparing the house, don’t forget to clear out the attic and basement, too.

You might also want to obtain additional inspections, including roof certifications, sewer inspections, and termite or pest inspections.

Don’t Forget the Final Walk-Through

In addition to these official inspections, the buyer will also want to do a final walk-through inspection of their own before the closing.

This inspection typically takes place a few days before or the morning of the closing.

Keep your home show-worthy right up until the date of the closing. You never know when the buyer is going to want to take another look.

It’s best to be prepared and keep your home clean and clutter-free as much as you can, just in case.

Prepare to Receive Multiple Offers

If your home is priced right, you’re most likely going to receive multiple offers. This can be overwhelming, but remember that it’s a good thing.

Don’t ignore any offers, no matter how low they are. Instead, negotiate with a counteroffer.

When you’re making a counteroffer, remember that there are more factors to consider besides the price. It’s easy to get hung up on the dollar amount that the buyer is offering. But, it might not necessarily be the most important thing.

Sometimes, even if the price is lower, you can get a more profitable offer through closing costs, taxes, and other expenses.

Pay attention to what else the buyer is offering to pay for before you decide to turn down their offer.

Be willing to make concessions, too. For example, maybe you’ll leave behind valuable items offer to pay a portion of the buyer’s closing costs.

Need Help Selling Your House?

As you can see, there is a lot of work and research that goes into selling a house.

Do you need some extra guidance as you go through the process?

If you’re looking for home sales advice, check out the Advice for Home Sellers section of our site today.

It’s got tons of great tips that will make the process of selling your house as easy as possible.