The median home price in New York hit $572,500 with a 5.3% year-over-year increase. What drives this growth in the Empire State? Well, it’s none other than the educational and financial opportunities the state offers along with its scenic beauty and culture.
Why wait? Now’s the perfect time to make your move! Summers are here, and selling your home in New York, not that it can go as smooth as a ferry ride across Hudson river!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Prepare your home for sale with enhanced curb appeal, neutral decor, tropical landscaping, and clean outdoor spaces.
- Decide how you want to sell, whether it’s with a local New York Flat Fee MLS service, a discount broker, or a full-service Realtor.
- Houzeo, New York’s #1 home selling website, can save you thousands in agent fees. Your home will also be on the MLS within 48 hours.
- Before you price your home in New York, check the current median home price, recent sales, and mortgage rates.
- Conduct showings to attract buyers. Also, review offers quickly and negotiate smartly.
- Finally, schedule utility transfers, pay your closing costs, and prepare to move out.
7 Steps to Selling a House in New York
Have doubts regarding how to sell your house in New York? Follow these steps to seamlessly sell your house:
Step 1: Prep Your Home for Sale
Buyers in NY love homes with a personality. When your home competes with historic farmhouses, stately mansions and iconic skylines, first impressions matter. So, focus on your home’s curb appeal to make it look more presentable.
Here are 3 tips to make homes for sale in New York stand out:
- Landscape Thoughtfully: Redesign your front and back yards to reflect the state’s natural beauty. Plant native shrubs and trees like sugar maple, sweetgum, oak, or pine.
- Repaint the House: A new coat of NY-inspired shades can make your house stand out. Go for colors like deep blue, burgundy, or soft cream.
- Highlight Outdoor Spaces: Style your front porch or patio with Adirondack chairs or wrought iron furniture. Place potted flowers, or hanging lanterns. Buyers in the Empire State love tranquil spaces that remind them of nature and countryside.
Step 2: Stage Your Home and Click Photos
A well-staged home can sparkle like the skyline views from the Brooklyn Bridge. While traditional home staging is always an option, you can try virtual home staging also to speed up the process.
Follow these tips to stage your home:
- Declutter and Clean the House: The cleaner your home looks, the better. You can clean the attic, organize the cellar, or tidy-up the stoop.
- Showcase Practical Features: Homebuyers in NY appreciate efficiency. If your home has smart features, or modernized heating systems, highlight them.
- Focus on Spacious Living Spaces: Buyers look for homes with natural light. So, don’t forget to show off your spacious rooms with big windows, skylights, and sunrooms.
- Include a Home Tour Video: Home listings with videos get 403% more views than those without it. So, make a video that shows your property in the best light!
Step 3: Decide How to List Your House
If you’re wondering how to list your property for sale on the MLS in New York, you have multiple options! Here are 4 options most sellers go for:
- Full-Service Realtors – Up to 6%: These Realtors provide various services from listing your house to closing the deal, but charge a hefty 5% to 6% real estate commission in New York.
- Flat Fee MLS – $249: If you want to sell your home yourself, you can list on MLS in New York for a flat fee. With Houzeo, your home can be on the MLS for just $249.
- Discount Real Estate Brokers: These brokers charge a lower fee than traditional agents and offer services like contract reviews and negotiation assistance. Discount real estate brokers in New York charge between 0.5% and 2% as commission.
- Cash Buyers: They help you sell your home fast for cash. With cash buyers, you can get competitive all-cash offers and close on your terms.
- For Sale By Owner: You can sell your home FSBO without hiring an agent. This gives you full control over the process and helps you save thousands on agent commissions.
Step 4: Price Your Home Competitively
Inaccurate pricing forces properties to stay longer on the market. For instance, in Feb 2025, 16.5% of homes in New York sold with price drops. So, it’s important to understand market trends to know how to price your home correctly.
Here’s how to avoid overpricing your property:
- Study the Real Estate Market in NY: An overpriced home stays on the market for longer than a cab-ride through Midtown traffic. Review the latest New York home prices before you set a competitive listing price.
- Use Online Home Valuation Tools: Use a free home value estimator to calculate your home’s Fair Market Value (FMV). Price your home slightly above its FMV to attract buyers and have a profitable home sale.
- Get a CMA: Your agent conducts your home’s Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). It helps understand your home’s worth based on its features and location. A CMA helps you easily quote the right price for your home.
Step 5: Handle Showings and Manage Offers
Once your listing is active, buyers searching for New York houses for sale will submit showing requests. Here’s what to do next:
- Actively Manage Showings: Promptly accept and confirm any showing requests. Remember to create a good impression. Don’t cancel scheduled showings at the last moment, communicate clearly about clashes, and be a pleasant host.
- Host an Open House: Even a top-tier listing can get lost like a hidden cafe in the Lower East Side. Consult your agent and announce an open house to attract buyers.
- Review and Counter Offers: If you only get one offer, you might have to reduce your asking price. But if many buyers show interest in your home, you can either negotiate or choose the highest and best offer.
➡️ Remember: Selling a house in New York is like catching the perfect view of the skyline—you need to head in the right direction!
Step 6: Ensure Your Home Is Inspection-Ready
Usually, buyers will schedule a home inspection to check for any issues, while the lender orders a home appraisal to figure out the market value. So, fix up any small repairs ahead of time—no one likes nasty surprises!
Being ready for both keeps things smooth and your home’s value strong. It’s all about making sure the buyer feels good and the lender feels confident, so your sale stays on track.
👉 All Set to Sell Your Home? List on the MLS Now!
Step 7: Prepare for Closing Day
Closing day can be emotional, but don’t overlook the formalities. Just follow these final home selling steps and you’ll be good to go:
- Gather All Documents: Before you sell your house in New York, keep the paperwork for selling a house by owner ready. This includes the affidavit of title, deed, purchase agreement, tax records, settlement statement, 1099-S tax form, etc.
- Transfer Ownership: Sign the escrow and title documents to transfer ownership. Once done, you’ll receive the funds and the buyer’s name gets registered in public record.
- Closing Costs: The cost of selling a house in New York includes taxes on selling a house, like Transfer Tax and Property Tax (each around 1-3%). Closing costs for sellers in NY also consist of HOA, real estate attorney, and home warranty fees.
How to Sell My Home in New York?
| City | Selling a House in New York Near You |
| Long Island | Sell My House in Long Island |
Quick Summary 📝
So, how do you sell houses in NY? Whether in the heart of Manhattan or by the shores of Long Island, right steps are the key. The first step is to prepare your home for sale. Then, you click photos and decide how to list your home.
Remember to price your home after checking the local trends. When your listing is live, you start getting showing requests. The buyer will conduct your home’s inspection before you can finally close the deal.
Remember, selling your home in New York can feel like catching a Broadway show—thrilling yet satisfying and unforgettable!
» Houzeo Reviews: Read what people say about Houzeo—New York’s best home selling website.
