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Home Selling

It's been said that the only thing in real estate that is more confusing than purchasing a home is selling one – especially if you've never done it before. Where to start? Who to turn to?


These are good questions and – lucky you – the answers are right here within the pages of ActiveRain, the top real estate social network on the planet.


Within our content library you'll find more millions of articles, written by the pros, on home selling topics like how to choose a listing agent, the questions to ask before hiring one, how to stage the home and create curb appeal. What happens if the appraisal comes in lower than the amount the buyer has offered? Is an offer from a buyer with a conventional loan approval better than one from an FHA buyer?


We have the answers here at ActiveRain and chances are great that if you can't find them now (which is hard to imagine!) you will find them tomorrow or the next day because our experts add hundreds of new posts every day.


Only ActiveRain gives you the chance to read news and advice from professionals who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk – the boots on the ground every day in the real estate industry.


Expert real estate advice, free for the reading – you gotta love that!

Recent blogs on Home Selling
By Manfred Lewis Leslie Horne & Associates, Realtor Spartanburg and Greenville SC
(Leslie Horne &Associates )
Did you know flooring can have a big impact on the look and feel of your home? From creating a warm and cozy atmosphere to making a space feel brighter and more open, the color, style, and finish of your floors can influence the overall design of a room. Have questions about what home features buyers notice most, what upgrades add value, or how to prepare your home for sale? I’m here to help. #realestate #realestateagent #financehub #buying #selling
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By Gwen Fowler SC Lakes & Mountains 864-710-4518, Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc.
(Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc)
321 S Pine Street, Walhalla, SC: Room to Live Inside and OutSometimes a property is memorable not because of one fancy feature, but because of all the different ways you can use it.321 S Pine Street in Walhalla, South Carolina, sits on approximately 1.93 acres, giving you something increasingly hard to find this close to town: room to spread out, mature landscaping, large trees, and outdoor spaces that already invite you to imagine how you would use them.This brick story-and-a-half home offers something else that is becoming harder to find: character that was built into the house from the beginning.Let's Talk About the Elephant in the RoomYes, you can buy a newer home in our market. In some cases, you may even find one for less money.But you probably will not get nearly two acres in tow...
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By Jackye Mumphrey, The Real Estate Maven® Atlanta Real Estate
(Keller Williams Realty Cityside)
 The Maven Strikes Again!JUST LISTED in Mableton, GA!1258 Discover Green Lane Mableton, Georgia 301263 Beds & 2.5 Bath$415,000Welcome to Legacy at the River Line! Competitively priced this beautifully maintained three bedroom, two and one half bath townhome with a finished terrace level offers the perfect blend of luxury, convenience, and low maintenance living. Built by one of Georgia's most respected homebuilders, this residence reflects the thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, and timeless appeal that have made John Wieland communities so highly regarded for generations. Inside, beautiful hardwood floors flow throughout the main level, where an open concept design seamlessly connects the spacious living room, dining area, and inviting eat in kitchen. Rich cabinetry, stainless st...
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By Joe Jackson, Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert
(Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty)
Receiving a default letter can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t mean you’ve run out of options. 🏡 From contacting your lender and exploring loan modification to selling or considering a short sale, acting early can make a difference. Learn the steps you can take to protect your home, credit, and financial future. Getting a default letter can feel like a punch to the gut—but it’s not the end of the road. You still have options, and the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Here are the most realistic paths forward: 1. Contact Your Lender Immediately A default letter is a warning, not a foreclosure notice. Lenders often prefer solutions over repossessions. You may qualify for: Payment deferral Temporary forbearance Loan modification Reinstatement plan Communication buys time. Silence remo...
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By Joe Jackson, Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert
(Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty)
Good documentation can make a big difference when selling a home. 🏡 From HVAC service and roof repairs to appliance receipts and improvements, organized maintenance records help answer buyer questions, build confidence, and demonstrate thoughtful homeownership. Learn why keeping your records together can make your next sale smoother and easier. One lesson that carries over from REO transactions to traditional home sales is the importance of good documentation. Buyers naturally want to understand a property's history, and organized records help answer many of their questions before they become concerns. Keep Maintenance Records Together If you've owned your home for several years, you've probably accumulated paperwork without realizing it. Helpful items include: HVAC service records Roof...
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By Ellie McIntire, Luxury service in Central Maryland
(Ellicott City Clarksville Howard County Maryland Real Estate)
14903 Chelsea Cir, Mount Airy, MD Click here to Get Directions$730000 4 Beds - 4 Baths - 2.06 acres Lot Photos Maps & Local Schools Print For more info, contact directly the Official Listing Agent, Ellie McIntire with Keller Williams at 443-418-7668 © or 443-574-1600 (o) – Have your mouse tour the house with the 3D tour - https://bit.ly/14903ChelseaCirTour Ready for a little more room, a little more privacy, and a lot less noise? Travel through some of Maryland’s prettiest countryside to reach this spacious 4-bedroom, 3½-bath colonial, privately positioned on approximately two wooded acres in Talbot Run Estates. The sellers had just finished creating a beautiful new kitchen when a dream job called them out of state, which means you’ll be the first person to truly use it. Their hard wor...
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By Tamra Lee Ulmer, NRBA ~REO Broker / Auctioneer
(Arizona Resource Realty)
One lesson that carries over from REO transactions to traditional home sales is the importance of good documentation.Buyers naturally want to understand a property's history, and organized records help answer many of their questions before they become concerns.Keep Maintenance Records TogetherIf you've owned your home for several years, you've probably accumulated paperwork without realizing it.Helpful items include: HVAC service records Roof repairs Appliance receipts Plumbing work Landscaping improvements Exterior painting Having these documents available can make conversations with buyers much easier.REO Transactions Highlight the DifferenceMany REO properties come with limited historical information, making documentation especially valuable whenever it's available.This experience re...
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By Tamra Lee Ulmer, NRBA ~REO Broker / Auctioneer
(Arizona Resource Realty)
Arizona landscaping doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. In fact, some of the most attractive yards are also among the easiest to maintain. Whether you're improving your home for your own enjoyment or getting ready to sell, a few smart landscaping choices can boost curb appeal while keeping maintenance manageable.Start by choosing native or drought-tolerant plants. Agave, red yucca, Texas sage, and desert marigold thrive in Arizona's climate and generally require less water than traditional landscaping.Another popular option is replacing large sections of grass with decorative rock. Many Arizona homeowners appreciate landscapes that conserve water while still looking clean and attractive.Raised garden beds are another simple improvement. They work well for vegetables, herbs, flowe...
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By Wendy Rawley, Straight Talk. Clear Guidance. Real Results.
(The Wendy Rawley Team)
Updated August 2026. Last reviewed August 2026.The mistake I see other agents make on a long-held Brea home is treating prep as a value-add project when it should be an objection-removal project. On a house owned for 30 years with heavy equity, spending to add a shiny new island rarely earns its cost. Spending to quiet the items a buyer's inspector will almost always flag. That is the short version, and it changes how you sequence the work.Which Brea home repairs before listing actually pay off?The repairs that pay off are the small, visible, low-cost fixes: fresh paint, worn or replaced flooring, fixed leaks, working fixtures, and repaired hardware. Those items stop a buyer from mentally deducting money, and the IRS itself lists painting, fixing leaks, filling holes and cracks, and rep...
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By Joe Jackson, Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert
(Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty)
Every buyer has a wish list, but certain features consistently stand out! 🏡✨ From flexible spaces and modern conveniences to room to grow, today’s buyers are looking for homes that make everyday life easier. Knowing what matters most can help you buy smarter—or prepare your home to sell. Let’s find your perfect fit!Every buyer has a wish list, but some features consistently rise to the top because they make everyday life a little easier and more enjoyable. 🏡 The spaces that offer flexibility, convenience, and room to grow often leave the biggest impression when buyers walk through a home. Knowing what today's buyers value most can also help homeowners make smart decisions before it's time to sell. If you're looking for a home that checks all the right boxes, send me a message and let's ...
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By Manfred Lewis Leslie Horne & Associates, Realtor Spartanburg and Greenville SC
(Leslie Horne &Associates )
Every buyer has a wish list, but some features consistently rise to the top because they make everyday life a little easier and more enjoyable. 🏡 The spaces that offer flexibility, convenience, and room to grow often leave the biggest impression when buyers walk through a home. Knowing what today's buyers value most can also help homeowners make smart decisions before it's time to sell. If you're looking for a home that checks all the right boxes, send me a message and let's find it together! #thehelpfulagent #houseexpert #a080626 #realestate #dreamhome
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By Tamra Lee Ulmer, NRBA ~REO Broker / Auctioneer
(Arizona Resource Realty)
Private wells are a familiar feature in many rural Arizona communities, and for many buyers, they're simply part of country living. Still, buyers who haven't owned a well before often have questions, making preparation an important part of the selling process.Fortunately, a little organization can go a long way.Organize Available RecordsIf you have maintenance records, pump service invoices, or information about water treatment equipment, gather those documents before listing your home.While not every property has a complete history, any available information can help answer buyer questions.Keep the Well Area Looking MaintainedFirst impressions matter outdoors as much as indoors.Trim vegetation around the well, remove unnecessary clutter, and make sure the area is accessible if inspecti...
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By Steffy Hristova, Tempe AZ Realtor - Your Home Close to Your Work!
(HomeSmart Elite Group Tempe AZ Tel: 602.710.8161)
Broker tours continue to evolve, but their purpose remains the same—to help listings gain exposure and gather valuable feedback from fellow REALTORS®. It's interesting to see how broker tours have evolved over the years. Years ago, broker tours meant driving from house to house and networking in person. Today's virtual format saves time and allows more agents to participate. What still matters is exposure, thoughtful feedback, and creating another opportunity for agents to remember a listing.Today I presented my Laveen listing during a virtual broker tour. Although different from the traditional in-person format, it still accomplished exactly what broker tours are meant to do—give listings additional exposure, spark conversations with other agents, and generate valuable feedback that ca...
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Downsizing? How to Get Your Family to Take Their Treasures Before You Move My brother and sister-in-law are doing what many of us are attempting to do: edit what we have.  Some of his treasures are large and eat up quite a bit of space. His sons-in-law and grandchildren want them, but not yet!  They’re smart…they don’t want to have to deal with it!  One of my clients had a similar issue. She was ready to right-size to a more manageable home and lifestyle. Her furniture and the condition of the home weren’t the issue. Over the years, the Waterford, Baccarat, and Lalique collection she started when she married had grown. She had many other collectibles as well.  There was no doubt they would be distributed among her three children, however, none of them were ready for them in their own ho...
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By Andrea Bedard, Fluent in Real Estate & German. Associate Broker.
(Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860)
"Andrea, whoever did your staging did an excellent job. The home shows beautifully!"I put a lot of time and effort into prepping my listings for the market, staging them, and presenting them well. So when I get calls about it, when my peers ask me for the name of my home stager, or inquire on behalf of their clients if the "seller" would possibly consider selling some of "their" furniture, I happily respond with "Me, I did that" and "I'm so sorry, but our staging furniture is not for sale."It's even sweeter when an offer follows the compliment, as it did on 1483 Pangbourne Way in The Villages of Dorchester, Hanover, MD. You may recall that the first buyer defaulted, and we had to relist the property. I don't remove my staging until we have a clear-to-close for this very reason. Although...
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By Katina Hargrove 352-551-0308, Broker/Owner
(Stake Your Land Realty, Inc.)
A home sale isn’t like a garage sale, where sellers and buyers haggle over price. In fact, it is the price of the home that determines whether any buyer will even take the time to view it. Price it too high compared to similar homes and few buyers will show up, meaning you won’t have anyone to haggle with. Can you guess what the number one criterion is that a buyer’s real estate agent uses to search for homes on the MLS? That’s right; most of them search by price. What happens then when you overprice your three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is that it will come up in the searches of agents looking for four-bedroom three bath homes or other homes that are far nicer, newer, larger and with more amenities.Your house will stick out like the proverbial sore thumb, and the chances are good that...
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By Joe Jackson, Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert
(Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty)
Make your home feel bigger without a renovation! 🏡✨ Simple staging tricks like smart furniture placement, better lighting, neutral colors, mirrors, and decluttering can transform how your home looks in photos and during showings. Discover easy ways to create a brighter, more spacious feel that buyers will love. Simple staging and photography tricks that help your space look open, bright, and downright inviting. Content Summary  You’ll learn how to make your home look larger for photos and showings using smart furniture placement, lighting, color, mirrors, and decluttering. You’ll also see how a New Bedford condo gained a 30% larger feel after staging. Introduction Ever look around your place and think, “It’s nice… but it feels a little tight”? Happens all the time, especially here in So...
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By Christopher Pataki, Hockessin Delaware Realtor
(RE/MAX Associates)
One of the largest investments you will ever make is buying a house in New Castle County. Whether you live in Bear, Wilmington, Middletown, Newark, or Hockessin, it might be difficult to decide how to spend your home repair funds. Is it better to replace that old roof or redesign your kitchen? Is it better to finally maintain your HVAC system or install new flooring?The answer is simple: maintenance should always come before improvements.Protect Your Investment FirstAlthough it's not glamorous, house maintenance preserves your home's worth. Thousands of dollars in unforeseen repairs can be avoided by doing routine maintenance on your heating and cooling system, cleaning gutters, examining the roof, looking for plumbing leaks, sealing windows, and pruning trees. Instead of waiting for so...
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By Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ, HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN
(Value Added Service, 602-620-2699)
If you think Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® CRS,ABR,PSA,RCS-D, CFSP  wandered into luxury real estate by accident, think again. He’s been in the business so long he remembers when “open house” as a youngster was a family affair!  We last swapped interviews on September 30 (he kicked things off twice — persistence is his mantra), and the through-line of his career is simple: hustle, curiosity, and a healthy respect for commission checks.  From Chores to Commissions Thomas didn’t discover real estate — he grew into it. By fifth grade he was doing weekend grunt work with his grandfather. Literally, at ten he was doing property-management tasks that most adults would politely decline. Real estate wasn’t a childhood dream so much as the family daily grind, which didn’t interest him as much at t...
Comments 14
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