Guide to selling a house: the step by step you should follow

Selling a home is probably one of the most important processes in our lives and requires time and structure to be successful. Before starting the whole process, there are certain aspects to take into account that can help you sell the house faster.

Selling a house: when is the ideal time?
As a first step, you should check if it is the right time to sell your home. For that, you have to study the current situation of the real estate market, understand if there is a lot or little demand and how long is a house to be sold in your neighborhood/parish/city.

How much is my house worth?
After understanding how the real estate market is doing and knowing if it is a good time to sell your home, we advise you to:

Do a house appraisal. For that you have to do an analysis of the value of the houses for sale in your area. You should look for houses with the same characteristics as yours;
To get a more real perception of the value of your home, you can request an appraisal through a real estate agency. To do so, you must find out about the agencies in the area where the house is located, as they know better the reality of the market;
The state of the house will also influence the sale value. If the house is well maintained, you can ask for a higher price when you sell it.
Sell ​​a house with a real estate agency or alone?
This is a very personal issue. There are people who choose to handle the entire business on their own and others prefer an agency to handle the entire sales process. Don't forget that the longer you take sell the house, the more it loses value on the market.


When you choose to sell a house alone, you must:

Prepare the entire house for sale (make it more attractive, take pictures, place the ad on websites and social networks);
Have time available for visits and telephone/email contacts;
Handle all the necessary documentation for the sale.
When you choose to sell a house through a real estate agency:

The agency will handle the entire sales process, from preparing the house, advertising, documentation and sometimes even after-sales support;
They usually have a customer base, which will allow them to find a possible buyer more quickly.

Documents needed to sell a house

Before putting the house up for sale, whether with or without real estate, it is important to gather some documentation, among which we highlight:

Identification (CC/Passport);
Permanent building certificate;
Property booklet;
User License;
Property plan;
Energetic certification;
Housing data sheet;
condominium declaration
Distract from the mortgage.
House sale: what expenses will I have?
It is important to account for the expenses inherent to the sale of the house, as not everything is profit. You should include expenses with:
Possible works that have to be done before selling the house (painting, plumbing, humidity, etc.)
Documents needed to sell the house (they all have an associated cost);
Legal expenses (contracts, lawyers, notaries);
Taxes associated with the sale (IRS, Capital Gains).

Source: idealista.pt