The Seller's Guide for Tri-Cities Homeowners

Selling your home is a big deal. It should feel clear. This Tri-Cities home seller's guide walks you through the whole sale, start to finish, in the order it actually happens. No mystery, no skipped steps.

Most sellers I meet are juggling a lot at once: kids, jobs, and often buying their next home at the same time. You don't need to become a real estate expert. You need to know what's coming next and what to do about it. If anything here doesn't fit your situation, text me at 509-869-8777. I'd rather answer the question than have you guess.

Brandon Muzatko, Managing Broker, TKO Realty Group at Real Broker, LLC. "I don't just sell, I serve."

Move one time, not twice. "We have to sell before we can buy" keeps families stuck for months. It doesn't have to work that way.

• Contingent offer: your offer on the next home depends on your current home selling. Works best when your home is ready to list right away.
• Bridge loan or HELOC: use some of your equity before your home sells, so you can buy first. Your lender tells you if you qualify.
• Rent-back: close your sale, then stay as a renter for a set time while your next home closes.
• Matched closing dates: both closings on the same day, or back to back. One moving truck, one move.

Patty and Aaron sold their home and bought their move-up home, and closed both on the same day. Ryan sold in 2 days at $10,000 over asking, and bought his next home at the same time, with $12,500 in seller credits after inspection. More on selling and buying at the same time.

Picking a listing agent isn't about who's nicest. It's about who gets you the most money with the least headache. Ask every agent: How exactly will you market my home? How many homes have you actually closed? How will you price it, comparable sales or a Zestimate? How often will I hear from you?

Commission is negotiable. It always has been. And Washington law (RCW 18.86) requires every broker to give you the pamphlet Real Estate Brokerage in Washington before you sign anything. Read it, and ask about anything that doesn't make sense.

The price on the sign isn't what you take home. What usually comes out of a Washington sale: your mortgage payoff plus any HELOC, the commission, the Washington real estate excise tax, the owner's title insurance policy for the buyer, your share of the escrow fee, property taxes and HOA dues split to closing day, and any repairs or credits. Before we list, I give you an estimate with your real numbers. Your escrow closer gives the final figures.

A higher offer with big credits can net you less than a lower, clean one, so I show you the net on every offer side by side. Many homeowners owe nothing in tax on the profit from their main home, but ask your tax pro before you list.

Fix what matters. Disclose everything else. Usually worth doing: neutral paint where walls are dated, burned-out bulbs, leaky faucets, worn carpet in main rooms, cracked glass. Check now: smoke alarms near bedrooms, carbon monoxide alarms (Washington requires them when you sell), and water heater strapping.

In Washington, you'll fill out a seller disclosure statement. My rule of thumb: if you have to ask whether to disclose it, the answer is almost always yes. Disclosures protect you as much as they protect the buyer.

Before a showing: lights on, blinds open, valuables and medications locked up, pets out. If you're home during a showing, don't chat with the buyer or their agent. Even something innocent can cost you money.

Before an offer reaches you, I call the buyer's lender and confirm they're really qualified. With multiple offers, every buyer gets a deadline to bring their strongest terms. I negotiate collaboratively: listening, asking questions, and finding terms that keep a strong deal moving.

What's your home actually worth? Not a Zestimate. A real number, from someone who's walked through your home. Start with selling your home in the Tri-Cities, or contact me and I'll show you where you stand and what you'd walk away with.