Here’s a Week-By-Week Snapshot of What to Expect When Selling Your Home

In a perfect world, you’d list your home and it would sell immediately and profitably. But for most sellers, there’s a bit of time between the time you put your home on the market and the time you receive an offer.

So what, exactly, happens during that time? What can you expect in the weeks between when you list your home and when you actually sell your home?

While every sale is different, a recent article from realtor.com outlined a general week-by-week timeline of what many homeowners can expect when selling their home, including:

• Week one. During the first week after listing, homeowners can hopefully expect a flurry of initial excitement, buzz, and interest around their home. That will also include plenty of showings. During this time, it’s important that homeowners keep their space clean, tidy, and showing-ready at all times.
• Week two. No offer in week one? Not to worry. It’s common for homes to sit on the market for a few weeks — or even months — so just continue to keep everything clean and make your home available for potential buyers to view. Also, you might start feeling some anxiety over whether or not you’re going to get an offer. If you’re concerned, talk to your real estate agent; he or she can help calm your nerves and reassure you that your house will sell in time. Sometimes patience is all that’s needed.
• Week three. If your home has been on the market for three weeks — and there’s been a good amount of interest — week three could definitely bring an offer. However, if your home has been shown a bunch and it’s not generating any offers, it may be time to talk to your real estate agent about whether your home is priced correctly, and adjusting the price if necessary.