The real estate market in Egypt has been on the verge, with an active supply and demand loop, resulting in daily successful deals. This is exactly when people start to think of selling their homes, either to move into a larger one or even invest in their appreciated value. That is specifically where this full checklist for selling a house comes in!
In this full guide, we will take you step by step through the process, starting with why to sell your house, passing through detailed steps for the process, offering insider tips, and giving you our pro-tip by the end of the article.
So, take a step back and stay focused for this 15-minute read that will tell you where you should start with selling your house.
Checklist for Selling A House – Starting With Why
Before digging deep into the steps and the detailed checklist for selling a house, we first need to think about the reasons that might lead you to want to sell your home.
Though this might seem a trivial question (simply because people sell their houses when they feel like it or need to), however, in fact, there are many other reasons why one should sell his/her house.
You should start thinking of selling your house in case you are in one of the following situations:
- You need to relocate to a work/school location: get closer to facilities and roads (for instance, you might need to relocate from New Cairo to 6 October to enroll your kids in a school, or vice versa).
- Your family is growing, so you need to upgrade your current house to a larger one with wider spaces, more rooms, and a wider set of features (such as pools and gardens).
- The market’s conditions are stable and favorable, which will make selling your home and getting a new one a smart investment if done at the right time to benefit from the market’s stability and price trend.
Check this guide on how to choose your home
In fact, there are many other reasons why you might be thinking of selling your home; however, those are the most relevant ones for our topic.
Now that you know what the potential reasons for selling your home are, let’s give you the full checklist for selling a house.
Checklist for Selling A House: How To Start?
The checklist for selling a house has many steps, phases, and categorizations. However, in this article, we will be focusing on the simplest breakdown of the process, listing the five major steps for selling your home.
The checklist for selling a house includes the following steps:
- Studying the market and valuing your house correctly
- Marketing your house
- Preparing the house for showing and viewing
- Preparing legal documents
- Closing the deal and preparing to move out
In the following sections, we will get to break down each step and tell you exactly what you need to do.
Checklist for Selling A House – Step 1: Study the Market
This step is where everything starts. Simply because, based on your research, you will get to decide when and how you will sell your house. Maybe you are dedicated to selling it now, but the market study forecasts waiting a little bit.
But, how is that known or decided? Every real estate market has loops and seasons. In other words, if you are smart enough to sell your home during the high season of demand, you will get to sell it at a relatively high price. (learn what the best time to buy real estate is, so you know when the demand side of the market is high.)
After studying and scanning the market, if you find this season the best time to sell your home, then you should start thinking about your house’s value. Valuing your house just right helps you sell your house quickly at the highest possible price.
Explore 4 factors that help you valuate your home
Checklist for Selling A House – Step 2: Market Your House
In fact, this step is the most important one in the entire process. The way you market your house will affect when and for how much it will be sold. Why?
Simply because people will be seeing your house for the first time, and they will be forming impressions, their impression of the location, images, spaces, and the architecture of the house could get them eager to buy your house, or just drive them away.
That is why, in this step, it is recommended that you get professional help. You can get a professional photographer to help you capture the best shots for the indoors and outdoors of the house. Here, the curb appeal of your house will be the guide for the rest of the process.
Also, you need to post your house on as many channels as possible, such as social media platforms and online professional platforms, such as Nawy (will talk about this part in detail later). You may also rely on your personal network to spread the word about your home being sold through word of mouth.
Don’t forget that during this step, you can get the help of a professional real estate agent or a professional real estate platform.
Checklist for Selling A House – Step 3: Showing & Viewing
After marketing your home, you will find people contacting you to come see and examine your home. In this particular step, you need to set everything ready to show your house to the prospective buyers in the best way it could be.
During this step, some tips can be especially beneficial, such as:
- Cleaning and thoroughly decluttering all over the house
- Removing all valuables and personal items to keep them safe
- Make sure to make your house smell fresh and good
- Show the visitor the unique selling points of your house
- Make sure to organize and arrange your staff and the house
Get more insights into the seller’s real estate market
Checklist for Selling A House – Step 4: Legal Work & Documentation
This step is all about the legal work and documentation of the entire process. It is usually recommended to get these items done and ready early. The most important paperwork you should make sure to get ready includes:
- Contract of ownership of the house
- Registered title deed
- Utility bills, preferably recent ones (such as water and electricity)
- Tax status documents
- Disputes-free documents
Explore top projects in New Capital
Checklist for Selling A House – Step 5: Closing The Deal
By reaching this step, you have probably found a buyer for your house, settled on the price, made all the legal arrangements, and it’s time to move out. After closing the deal and getting ready to move, you need to consider the following tips:
- Agree with the new buyer on the time of moving out, so you know exactly when you will need to get your stuff done and moved
- Make a list of all your items and furniture, to be able to check later that you didn’t forget anything
- Start packing early and be organized in packing similar groups of items together to easily find them when you are in your new place
- Get professional help with moving your belongings
- Make sure to leave the house clean
By now, you know all about the details of the process and the full checklist for selling a house. It’s high time we gave you an insider’s guide on the tips to do and common mistakes to avoid while selling your home.
Insider Tips for Selling a House: Do’s & Don’ts
Now that you know almost all about the details of the checklist for selling a house, you are ready to know the final tips. In the following list, a number of beneficial tips and common mistakes to avoid are listed.
The list of tips and common mistakes in selling a house includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Avoid overpricing your house (you can do so by hiring a real estate consultant)
- Make sure to de-personalize the space when marketing and when showing
- Avoid disregarding the season
- Give due attention to small fixes and repairs needed before showing
- Never depend on or accept oral agreements
- Avoid disregarding professional help
- Make sure to post the best photos of the house
- Don’t try to hide the defects of the house, be honest
- Be wise, don’t rush the process, but don’t make it too long, and wait too much
- Make sure to be organized and keep track of all the details, including the paperwork, the packing process, and the moving phase
- Make sure to be extremely flexible and abide by the showings’ timings
Generally speaking, it is widely known in Egypt that the fastest-selling houses are those that are clean, legally ready, reasonably priced, and well-marketed.
Check the 5 things you need to do before listing your house for sale
Yet, we’ve kept the best till the end. Let’s give you a protip that will help you cut a long story short and get your house sold seamlessly and easily: sell your property with Nawy!
Pro-Tip: Sell Your House With Nawy
If you want to enjoy a seamless, easy online selling process, then you should get the help of Nawy. The process is as easy as posting your home for sale on our website with all its details, specifications, and the price you want.
After that, our professional team will get in touch with you to know more details. Later, serious buyers will contact you to schedule showings, and the deal will be done.
Sell Your House Now!
By now, you know all about the house-selling process. We’ve discussed the reasons why you should be compelled to sell your house, tackled the details of the checklist for selling a house, and added tips & common mistakes to avoid.
Lastly, we’ve given you the best expert tip: selling your house with Nawy.
It’s high time you took action and sold your house. Just list your house for sale on Nawy’s website and wait for the deal to be seamlessly done.
But before that, don’t forget to take a look at the largest property inventory listed on Nawy’s property listing platforms (website and mobile application) to pick the new home you would settle in after selling your house.
FAQs
How do you sell your house without a realtor?
Sell it “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) through marketing for it, posting on different channels, and connecting with a network of buyers.
How to prepare your house for sale?
Clean and declutter, organize the house, and show the buyers the unique selling points during showings.
How to sell my house?
Market your house on all the possible channels, post attractive images, set showing dates, organize your home best way possible, and get your paperwork ready.
Do I pay tax if I sell my home?
Yes, according to Egyptian regulations and tax laws, sellers usually bear the real estate transaction tax (also known as a disposal tax), which is 2.5% of the total sale value.
