Selling your home can prove to be a trying task you weren’t quite ready for. But, realistically, how long does it take to sell a home and what type of timeline is needed to prepare?

First, relax! By using the timeline tips laid out here on how to sell your house, you will be able to create successful and realistic goals to keep your home selling process on track.

A Timeline on How to Sell Your House

It will be easier to be ready to sell your home if you have a timeline and plan.

2 Months Before Listing: Start Doing Some Homework

You read that right. Before you even put your home up for sale, you want to do some research. Check out what the local market is currently at, evaluate what your transactional costs and remaining equity are, and gather up all your documents.

You also want to start looking at your home like a potential homebuyer would. Does your home need a little sprucing up? Maybe a new paint job or some adding landscaping to boost curb appeal?

Little things that don’t even cost a lot of money will draw twice as many eyes to your home, and may even be the deciding factor in a family making a purchase.

One Month Before Listing: Determine Your Home’s Listing Price

Right before you put your home up for sale is the perfect time to do some research on your neighborhood. Check out the price of similar properties that were recently sold.

Also, be sure to get your home appraised by a specialist that is also familiar with the neighborhood. You’d be surprised at how much your area weighs on the price of your home.

Two Weeks Before Listing: Get Your Home Ready to Buy

You will more than likely have a slew of potential homebuyers in and out of your home to see if they’d like to make a purchase. Nothing deters a potential buyer than a messy home that they can’t look past to see if they’d enjoy living there.

Declutter and tidy up your home right before you put your home up for sale and start having open houses. Also, be sure to take advantage of some staging techniques like adding some throw pillows on your couch, rugs and unique artwork to brighten up your home.

One Week Before Listing: Get All Your Marketing Collateral Ready

Your Listing Agen will more than likely help you with this, but make sure you have all your marketing materials ready for when people start seeing your home. After completing your smart goal setting laid out here, now is prime time to list your home online.

This is also the time to start scheduling your open houses. Advertise your open houses on social media, and even post your home listing in a local newspaper. You’d be surprised at how many results you’ll get.

Next Steps: Negotiate and Accepting an Offer

After a successful home listing using this timeline on how to sell your house, you will have offers on the table before you know it. Be sure to evaluate each offer carefully and negotiate at you and your realtor’s discretion. Then, congratulations! You have successfully sold your home.