Massachusetts + New Hampshire
Selling Your Home
A clear plan for preparing, pricing, marketing, negotiating, and closing—without doing more than the sale actually needs.
Start with the strategy
The plan comes before the sign
A successful sale starts before the home reaches the market. The first conversation should cover your goals, timing, the condition of the property, the likely numbers, and what needs to happen next.
Why are you selling?
Your reason affects timing, preparation, possession, and the kind of offer that may work best.
Where are you going?
If another purchase, relocation, or cross-border move is involved, both sides need one coordinated plan.
What is the timeline?
Work backward from the ideal closing date and leave room for preparation, marketing, financing, and moving.
What do the numbers look like?
Estimate likely proceeds after payoff, selling costs, credits, and property-specific expenses.
Prepare with purpose
Most homes do not need a complete renovation. The goal is to make the property feel cared for, easy to understand, and easy for a buyer to picture as their own.
Fix now
Address safety issues, active leaks, broken fixtures, obvious damage, odors, and simple signs of neglect.
Disclose and explain
Gather permits, warranties, invoices, system ages, condo documents, and known property information.
Leave alone
Skip expensive projects that may not return their cost or reflect buyer taste rather than market value.
Pricing
Price for today's market
The best pricing decision combines recent sales, current competition, buyer behavior, condition, location, and the direction of the market. An online estimate can be a starting point, but it cannot walk through your home or understand the full selling plan.
Marketing
Make the home easy to find, understand, and see
Photography, the property story, listing details, showing access, communication, and follow-up should work together. Marketing is a coordinated launch, not simply putting the property online.
Offers and negotiation
The best offer is not always the highest number
Every offer is a package of price, financing, deposits, contingencies, dates, credits, included items, and risk. The goal is to compare the full package and understand what could affect the final result.
Accepted offer does not mean the work is finished
Inspections, financing, appraisal, title work, property-specific requirements, final figures, keys, and possession all need a clear calendar and steady communication.
Know what may come out of the sale
Before listing, review a preliminary estimate of likely proceeds. Before closing, review the actual settlement figures with the appropriate closing professional.
You do not have to be ready to list
Sometimes the first step is simply a conversation about value, timing, and what would make sense for you.
This page and guide are for general educational purposes. Every property, contract, market, and closing is different. Judy coordinates the real estate plan and helps sellers identify questions for their attorney, tax professional, lender, inspector, and other specialists.