Your Seller’s FAQ

It usually comes down to three questions: Do you have enough equity to sell without bringing money to closing (or are you comfortable with the numbers if not)? Where are you moving to, and is that plan solid? And does the current market favor sellers in your price range and neighborhood? I’m glad to pull the actual comparable sales and market data for your specific home before you decide anything — that conversation costs you nothing.

Start with a realistic home value estimate (use the “What’s My Home Worth” tool below, or better, let me run a full comparative market analysis specific to your home) and run your numbers through the Net to Seller Calculator so you know roughly what you’d walk away with. From there we talk strategy: timing, pricing, and what (if anything) needs to happen to the house before it goes on the market.

Roughly: a few days to a couple of weeks to prepare, photograph, and list the home; days to a few months to get it under contract, depending on pricing and market conditions; then 30–45 days from an accepted offer to closing on most financed purchases (faster for cash buyers). A well-priced home in a strong market can move much faster than that — we’ll set realistic expectations together based on your specific property and neighborhood.

Both orders have tradeoffs. Selling first gives you certainty on your proceeds and avoids carrying two mortgages, but may mean a temporary move if timing doesn’t line up. Buying first avoids moving twice, but requires financing that accounts for your existing mortgage (or a contingent offer, which is harder to get accepted in a competitive market). We can also structure a rent-back arrangement so you sell but stay in the home for an agreed period after closing while you finalize your next move. This is one of the most important strategy conversations we’ll have — let’s talk through your specific situation.

Through a comparative market analysis (CMA): recently sold homes similar to yours in size, condition, age, and location, adjusted for differences (a finished basement, an updated kitchen, lot size, and so on), combined with current active and pending listings so we understand what buyers are comparing your home against right now. This is far more accurate than automated online estimates, which don’t know your home’s actual condition or recent updates.

Homes typically get the most attention, showings, and offer activity in their first two to three weeks on the market. Pricing too high burns through that window with little interest, and often forces a price reduction later — which can make buyers wonder what’s wrong with the home, even if nothing is. Pricing accurately from the start usually nets you a better outcome than starting high and chasing the market down.

It’s always your decision — I’ll give you my honest, data-backed recommendation, and my job is to make sure you understand exactly what that data shows, but you set the list price. What I won’t do is tell you what you want to hear just to win the listing; you deserve an honest read on your home’s value so you can make the decision that’s right for you.

They’re a reasonable starting point but are frequently off, sometimes significantly, because they can’t see your home’s actual condition, recent renovations, or the specific features that make it stand out (or not) against what’s currently for sale. Use the quick tool below for a ballpark, but treat a full CMA from me as the real number to plan around.

Not always everything, but addressing visible, easily noticed issues (a leaking faucet, damaged flooring, a door that doesn’t close right) pays off — buyers who notice small deferred maintenance often assume there’s more they can’t see. Bigger-ticket items (roof, HVAC, foundation) are worth a conversation with me first: sometimes it makes sense to fix them, sometimes it makes more sense to price the home accordingly and disclose the condition upfront.

In most cases, yes — staged homes (even just decluttering and rearranging what you already own, which is often free or low-cost) tend to photograph better, show better, and can help buyers picture themselves in the space rather than seeing your specific furniture and belongings. Full professional staging makes the biggest difference on vacant homes or homes with awkward layouts; I’ll walk through your home with you and tell you honestly where staging would help most.

Extremely — the vast majority of buyers see your home online before they ever consider a showing, and poor photos can cause a well-priced, well-maintained home to get scrolled past entirely. Professional photography, and drone or video where the property calls for it, is a standard part of how I market every listing.

Generally no — buyers are more comfortable speaking candidly and picturing themselves in the home when the seller isn’t present. I’ll coordinate showing times around your schedule and keep you updated after each one.

Whenever possible, remove pets from the home during showings (or at minimum secure them away from buyer traffic) — some buyers have allergies or are simply uncomfortable around unfamiliar animals, and pet odors are one of the things buyers notice fastest and remember longest.

It’s the written contract between you and your listing broker authorizing us to market and sell your property, spelling out the list price, the commission, the length of the agreement, and each side’s responsibilities. Since 2024, listing agreements are also required to include clear, conspicuous language stating that commission is not set by law and is fully negotiable.

Commission has always been negotiable, but the rules changed in 2024: listing agents can no longer advertise an offer of buyer-agent compensation on the MLS itself. That doesn’t mean seller-paid buyer-agent compensation has gone away — it’s still common and often still the most effective way to attract buyer interest — it just now has to be discussed and agreed to directly, with your explicit prior approval, rather than published automatically. I’ll walk you through your options and what makes sense for your specific listing.

A full comparative market analysis and pricing strategy, professional photography (and video/drone when appropriate), MLS listing and syndication to major home search sites, staging guidance, showing coordination, marketing to my buyer network and other agents, offer review and negotiation, and hands-on management of the transaction from contract through closing — backed by Keller Williams West Atlanta.

Listing agreements include specific terms about length and cancellation, which we’ll review together before you sign so there are no surprises. I want you to list because it’s the right move for you, not because you feel locked in — if your circumstances change, talk to me directly.

It starts in the MLS, which automatically syndicates to Zillow, Realtor.com, and most major national home search sites, plus my own marketing to my buyer database, other agents, and (as appropriate for your property) social media and targeted digital advertising.

Through a showing management system that lets buyer’s agents request times that work with your schedule, so you always have visibility into and control over when people come through. I’ll keep you updated on requested showings and any feedback that comes back afterward.

Yes — I follow up with buyer’s agents after showings whenever possible and pass along honest feedback, even when it’s not what you want to hear. That feedback is often the most useful signal we have for whether pricing, presentation, or something else needs adjusting.

We look at the data together: how does your price compare to what’s actually selling, how do your photos and listing compare to the competition, and is there a specific objection coming up in feedback we can address. Sometimes it’s a pricing conversation, sometimes it’s a presentation fix, and sometimes it just needs a bit more time — I’ll always give you a straight read on which one it is.

Price matters, but so does: the buyer’s financing (cash and strong conventional pre-approvals are generally safer than thin approvals), the proposed closing timeline, how much due diligence period they’re requesting, any contingencies attached, and whether they’re asking for closing cost assistance. A slightly lower offer with stronger financing and a clean timeline is often the better deal.

No — you’re free to accept, reject, or counter any offer for any lawful reason. The highest number isn’t always the strongest offer once you weigh financing certainty, timeline, and contingencies, and I’ll help you evaluate the whole picture, not just the headline price.

We can compare them side by side, go back to some or all buyers for a “highest and best” round, or negotiate different terms with different buyers simultaneously (within what’s legally and ethically appropriate) — I’ll walk you through the approach that gets you the strongest outcome for your specific situation.

The signed contract sets the price and major terms, but negotiation often continues through the due diligence period — over repair requests following the inspection, or over price if the appraisal comes in low. I handle these negotiations on your behalf throughout the transaction.

In Georgia, most contracts include a negotiated due diligence period (commonly 7–14 days) during which the buyer can inspect the property and cancel the contract for essentially any reason, with their earnest money returned. As the seller, your main job during this window is to grant reasonable access for inspections and respond promptly to any repair requests that follow.

No — you’re never obligated to agree to repair requests. You can agree to fix items, offer a credit toward the buyer’s closing costs instead, or decline outright, at which point the buyer decides whether to move forward, renegotiate, or (within their due diligence period) walk away. I’ll help you weigh what’s worth conceding against the strength of your position and the overall market.

You have options: reduce the price to match, ask the buyer to make up the difference in cash, split the difference, challenge the appraisal with additional comparable sales, or let the buyer exercise an appraisal contingency if they have one. Which path makes sense depends heavily on the specific gap and how the property is likely to perform if it goes back on the market — we’ll work through it together in real time.

Commonly a wood-destroying organism (termite) inspection (required for most FHA and VA financing and common in conventional deals in Georgia), and depending on the property, a septic inspection, well water test, or radon test. None of these are unusual, and having recent service records on hand (pest treatment, septic pumping, HVAC servicing) can help move things along smoothly.

Georgia law requires a licensed attorney to supervise the closing of a real estate transaction and to prepare or review the deed — unlike states where a title company alone can close a sale. The closing attorney protects both sides by confirming clear title, preparing the closing documents, and disbursing funds correctly, including paying off your existing mortgage and any liens directly from your proceeds.

Review your settlement statement in advance so the numbers match what you expect, arrange for keys, garage remotes, and any warranty or manual documents to be left for the buyer, make sure the home is in the agreed-upon condition (typically “broom clean” and free of your belongings unless otherwise agreed), and sign the deed and closing documents, either in person or, in many cases, via a mobile or remote closing.

After the deed is recorded and the closing attorney disburses funds — typically the same day as closing, sometimes the next business day depending on the specific closing and how you’ve arranged to receive funds (wire transfer is standard and fastest).

It’s the exact amount owed to fully satisfy your existing mortgage as of a specific date, requested by the closing attorney from your lender ahead of closing. Your net proceeds are calculated after this payoff, any other liens, prorated property taxes, commission, and closing costs are subtracted from your sale price.

• Real estate commission — historically the largest cost, and fully negotiable
• Georgia real estate transfer tax — $1 for the first $1,000 of the sale price, plus $0.10 for each additional $100; by statute the seller is liable, though it’s common for contracts to shift this to the buyer — we’ll confirm which applies to your contract
• Your mortgage payoff — the remaining balance on any loan against the property
• Prorated property taxes — your share of the year’s property taxes up to the closing date
• Attorney and title-related fees associated with clearing and closing the sale
• Any negotiated buyer concessions — repair credits or closing cost assistance agreed to during the transaction

Historically, the commission has been paid out of the seller’s proceeds at closing, though how buyer-agent compensation specifically gets negotiated has changed since the 2024 industry-wide settlement (see the Listing Agreement section above). The overall structure and who pays what is something we’ll spell out clearly before you sign anything.

Not typically upfront — most seller costs are settled out of your proceeds at closing rather than paid out of pocket beforehand. If a survey or other specific item comes up as a requirement of your particular sale, I’ll flag it early so there are no surprises.

Possibly, but many sellers owe nothing thanks to the primary residence exclusion: if you meet the ownership and use tests, you can exclude up to $250,000 of gain if you file as a single taxpayer, or up to $500,000 if you file a joint return with your spouse. Most sellers selling their primary home fall entirely within this exclusion and owe no federal capital gains tax on the sale.

You generally qualify for the exclusion if you owned the home for at least 24 months (2 years) out of the 5 years before the sale, and lived in it as your primary residence for at least 24 months of that same 5-year period. The two 24-month periods don’t have to be the same stretch of time, as long as both are satisfied somewhere within the 5 years. You generally can’t use this exclusion again if you already claimed it for a different home sale within the past two years.

The primary residence exclusion doesn’t apply, and you may owe capital gains tax on the full appreciation (and potentially depreciation recapture if you claimed depreciation on the property). Strategies like a 1031 exchange can defer taxes on investment property sales under specific conditions. This is squarely a conversation for a CPA or tax attorney — I’m happy to make an introduction.

Treat this as a starting point for the conversation, not a substitute for one. Tax rules have exceptions (partial exclusions for a job change, health issue, or other unforeseen circumstance; different rules for a home used partly for business; state-level tax treatment) that depend on your specific situation. Please confirm your exact tax exposure with a qualified CPA or tax attorney before you sell, not after.

No — Georgia does not legally require a formal seller’s property disclosure statement the way some states do. That said, I strongly recommend completing the standard Georgia Association of REALTORS Seller’s Property Disclosure form anyway: it’s one of the best tools you have to protect yourself from a future fraud or misrepresentation claim, because it creates a clear, dated record of what you did and didn’t know at the time of sale.

Under Georgia law, you must disclose known material defects when you have knowledge the buyer doesn’t have and you’re aware the buyer is operating under a mistaken understanding of facts that matter to their decision — things like a known foundation issue, a leaking roof, past flooding, or a failing HVAC system that isn’t obvious on a casual walkthrough. Concealing a known material defect can expose you to a fraud or misrepresentation claim after closing, including possible contract rescission or monetary damages.

No — Georgia law specifically exempts sellers from having to disclose that a death (including homicide or suicide) occurred on the property, or that an occupant had a disease medical evidence shows is highly unlikely to spread through ordinary occupancy. However, if a buyer directly and specifically asks you about one of these exempt topics, you must answer honestly — you just aren’t required to volunteer the information unprompted.

You cannot disclose (and shouldn’t be asked to disclose) information like the race, religion, familial status, or disability status of current or prior occupants — these are protected characteristics under fair housing law and have no place in a real estate disclosure.

• Overpricing out of the gate. It feels like leaving room to negotiate, but it usually just means missing the critical early-listing window when buyer interest peaks.
• Skipping decluttering and depersonalizing. Buyers need to picture themselves in the space, which is harder to do surrounded by someone else’s belongings and photos.
• Being present during showings. It makes buyers uncomfortable being candid or lingering, and can cut showings short.
• Concealing a known defect instead of disclosing it. It rarely stays hidden through a thorough inspection, and it creates real legal exposure after closing if it does.
• Taking negotiations personally. An offer, a repair request, or an inspection finding is a business conversation, not a judgment of your home or your taste.
• Not budgeting for closing costs out of your proceeds. Sellers are sometimes surprised by how much comes off the top between commission, transfer tax, and prorations — run your numbers ahead of time with the Net to Seller Calculator.
• Ignoring showing feedback. If multiple buyers mention the same issue, it’s worth addressing rather than dismissing.