7 Step Guide To Sell Your Home in California

California home values increased by 20% between Q1 2021 – Q1 2022. But, due to rising mortgage rates, real estate prices in the Golden State may decline in 2022 and 2023. If you plan on selling a house in California, it is best to do it now.

1. When is the Best Time to Sell a House in California?

The home-buying season in California starts in late spring and runs throughout the summer, peaking between May and June. These are the best months to sell a house in California. To make the best of this magic window, list your home in April. You can get up to 5% more than the asking price.

Is it a Good Time to Sell a House in California?

Yes. Never try to time the market – that’s a difficult strategy in the long term.

Mortgage rates are on the rise, and home prices are expected to cool down in 2022 & 2023. Real estate commissions are declining. So, if you’re ready to sell your California home, list now.

2. How Do I Price My Home Competitively?

Pricing your home competitively is critical to a successful sale. The good part is it is simple to arrive at a list price. An analysis of your neighborhood’s currently active and recently sold similar California real estate listings will get you close. 

3. How to Sell a House in California?

You have several options to sell your house in California. For most sellers, we’ve compiled the best ones below:

3.1. Sell Your California Home For Sale By Owner

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is a DIY selling property without any third-party help. This means that there is no seller agent involved in the process.

By selling FSBO in California, though you save up on the listing agent commission, you have to handle everything – from listing to closing – on your own.

3.2. List With a Traditional Full-Service Agent

A full-service Realtor will handle everything for you, from listing to closing. But you’ll pay a full 2.5% to 3% listing agent commission.

In the traditional sense, a seller has to pay 3% of the sale price to the listing agent and 3% to the buyer agent. And even if you find an unrepresented buyer, you’re still on the hook for the full listing agent commission.

3.3. Best Option: FSBO with a Flat Fee MLS Listing

The average Realtor commission in California is around $48,000 (based on the median home value in California). Listing with a high-tech website like Houzeo.com saves you the listing agent commission. In addition, it gets you maximum exposure to the MLS and provides help whenever you need it.

4. How to Prepare and Market Your Home for Sale?

A clean and well-prepared home combined with the correct marketing strategy can help you attract a large number of buyers.

4.1. Getting California Homes Ready to Sell

Preparing your house for showings is the best way to increase the chances of selling it fast. Some standard preparation pointers can be taken care of while selling your home in California. 

4.2. Powerful Ways to Market Your Home in California

Almost 95% of home buyers search and review homes online. So, being online is the #1 priority for the sellers. A good online marketing strategy combined with other marketing tactics can make a difference in getting your house sold.

5. Manage Showings and Offer Negotiations

Once you have prepared your house for sale in California, showing it to buyers is the next step.

5.1. How to Manage Showings When Selling a House in California?

Once your property is ready for showings, it is critical to manage the showings effectively. You can either opt for online showing tools or host an open house.

5.2. How do I Negotiate Offers When Selling a House in California?

A counteroffer and requesting the best and highest offers are the two crucial negotiation methods. Negotiating offers also means focusing on other factors like contingencies, concessions, responsibility, and more.

6. What California Real Estate Documents do I Need?

A lot of paperwork is needed to sell a home in California. Though your Realtor takes care of all the paperwork on your behalf, you need to be aware of them.

6.1. California Home Seller Disclosure Requirements

California real estate law is governed by the California Civil Code. It mandates all home sellers to complete certain documents and submit a copy to any prospective buyer before execution of the sale deed.

6.2. Mandatory Documents for California Real Estate Transactions

Review these documents at length and understand their provisions. Here are some key documents you’ll likely need in the process of selling a house in California:

6.3. Possible Additional Documents for California Real Estate Transactions

Some additional documents that may require during the closing process in California are:

7. How to Close Your California Home?

The closing process in the state of California is handled either by a title company or an escrow. Your Realtor and settlement real estate agents California usually handle the legalities. But you still need to be prepared for a few things during closing.

📝 Note: In Northern California closing is typically handled by Title companies, while Escrow companies handle it in Southern California. Though, we recommend cross-checking the closing party in your area.

7.4. How Much are Closing Costs in California?

If you are concerned about how much are closing costs in California then know that the amount of money you will spend on closings while selling a property in California depends on a lot of factors such as Realtors commissions, fees & taxes, mortgage payoff, etc.

You can calculate seller closing costs California with Houzeo’s Advanced Seller Closing Cost Calculator for California. The calculations are based on the latest prices and it gives you a very detailed estimate of all the costs involved in the transaction.

» Closing Costs for Buyer in California: Click to know more about the buyer’s side of Closing Costs.

Final Word: Selling a House in California

Selling a house in California is complex.

You have different processes like pricing, marketing, paperwork, and negotiations, to deal with. This combined with a hefty seller agent commission in California makes the process expensive.

A good option for the sellers is opting for Flat Fee MLS or FSBO platforms like Houzeo. Houzeo makes the job of the sellers much easier. Not only putting the properties on the MLS, but these platforms also provide a la carte services that can help the sellers go the extra mile.

Copyright © 2023 Houzeo News