Selling a home, step by step

Selling a home you’ve cared for is a big decision. Here’s how it usually works in California, and what I do for you at each step.

Call 408-438-7709 See the six steps

How selling works

Every sale is different, so think of this as the usual path, not a fixed schedule. The decisions along the way are always yours.

Start with a conversation

What happens
We talk about your timing, what you need from the sale and where you’re headed next. Then we walk through your home together.
How I help
I listen first, answer your questions and give you an honest picture of what to expect. There’s no cost and no obligation to talk, and we can talk in English, Hindi or Punjabi.
Price it with evidence

What happens
An asking price usually starts with a comparative market analysis: recent sales of similar homes nearby, plus the homes for sale and under contract right now.
How I help
I share the data with you, not just a number, so you can see how I got there. A market analysis is not an appraisal, and the asking price is your decision.
Put our agreement in writing

What happens
We sign a written listing agreement with REALTY EXPERTS®, the brokerage I work with. It covers the asking price, how long the listing runs, what I’ll do and how compensation works. Real estate commissions are not fixed by law. They’re negotiable.
How I help
I go through the agreement with you line by line before you sign, so you know what you’re agreeing to.
Prepare and disclose

What happens
Many sellers clean, declutter, make small repairs or stage their home before it goes on the market. California also requires sellers of most homes to give buyers written disclosures, such as the Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement and the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement. Some sellers order inspection reports before listing, so buyers have the facts up front.
How I help
I’ll give you my honest view of which projects are worth considering and which can wait, and you decide. I walk you through each disclosure form so you can answer fully and accurately, since you know your home best. I also do the visual inspection California requires of agents, and disclose what I find that matters to buyers.
Market and show

What happens
Your home is listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) with a clear, accurate description and photos. That’s where local agents look for homes for their buyers. Then come showings, and open houses if you want them.
How I help
I use the marketing resources and market data REALTY EXPERTS® gives me for your listing, schedule showings, and pass along what buyers and agents say.
Offers to closing

What happens
Offers can differ in much more than price: the financing, the deposit, the contingencies, the timing and how likely each buyer is to close. You can accept, counter or decline each one. Once you accept, escrow opens, and the buyer works through inspections, the appraisal and loan approval by the deadlines in the contract. At closing, the deed is recorded and your proceeds are paid out through escrow.
How I help
I lay the offers out side by side in plain words, explain the trade-offs and negotiate for the terms that matter most to you. After that, I track every deadline, keep you updated, and work with the buyer’s agent, escrow and title until the sale closes.

What’s my home worth?

Call or text me. I’ll look at what has sold near you recently and share what I find, with no obligation.

There’s no instant online estimate on this site. I’d rather look at your home, and the recent sales around it, with you.

Call 408-438-7709 Text me at 408-438-7709

What you can expect from me

A price recommendation built on recent sales, with the data shared with you.
Honest advice about preparing your home, including what isn’t worth doing.
Regular updates on showings, feedback and offers.
Every offer explained, term by term.
You reach me directly by call, text or email.
Conversations in English, Hindi or Punjabi.

Legal and tax questions

I’m a real estate agent, not a lawyer or tax advisor, so I don’t give legal or tax advice, including about taxes on your sale. When a question needs one of them, I’ll say so, and you can talk with a qualified professional.

Plain answers

Questions you might have about selling, answered in plain words.

Do I have to make repairs before I sell?

Not necessarily. Some sellers fix a few things first, and some sell the home as it is. I’ll give you my honest view of which projects are worth considering, and you decide. Either way, California’s disclosure rules still apply, and I walk you through the forms.

How long will it take to sell my home?

It depends on the price, the home’s condition and the market at the time, so I won’t promise a date. I’ll share what recent sales nearby suggest, and once you accept an offer, the contract sets the timeline to closing.

How does the commission work when I sell?

It’s set in your written listing agreement with REALTY EXPERTS®, the brokerage I work with, and it’s usually paid through escrow when the sale closes. I go through it with you line by line before you sign. Real estate commissions are not fixed by law. They’re negotiable.