Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. I will be in touch with you shortly.

Seller's Guide

A Step-by-Step Home Seller's Guide

Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced agent and this easy to follow guide, you can smoothly complete the process. Following these steps will help you prepare so you can get organized and sell your home for the best price possible.​​​​​​​

main

Step 1: Understand Why You're Selling

Are you relocating, downsizing, seeking financial relief, or simply ready for a change? Your motivation affects your pricing, timing, and negotiation strategy. It’s also important to assess your financial goals—do you need to make a certain profit, pay off a mortgage, or fund your next home? Be honest about your emotional readiness to sell, especially if you’ve lived in the home for a long time. Clarifying your goals and ideal outcome from the start helps ensure a smoother, more strategic selling process.

main

Step 2: Determine Selling Price

Knowing how to price your home is one of the most important parts of the selling process. When you set a fair price in the beginning, you’ll get the most interest from other real estate agents and prospective buyers. Overpricing your home could lead to reduced interest, and underpricing leads to receiving less than what your home is worth. Working with a real estate agent is the best way to determine the right selling price for your home. An agent with experience can determine what other comparable homes are selling for, evaluate the current market, and may even suggest a home appraisal.

main

Step 3: Start Preparations

If you’ve kept your home in showroom condition since you’ve lived in it, you’re in the minority of homeowners. Once you price your home, it’s time to start getting it ready to be shown to potential buyers. This includes getting rid of clutter, depersonalizing the space so that buyers can envision themselves in the space, making any small repairs, and doing a deep clean to make sure your home is in pristine condition.

main

Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

I will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing through social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, traditional media, or SEO advertising. My team creates a marketing campaign that aims to get the most possible traffic to your listing in the first three weeks after becoming a client.

main

Step 5: Evaluate Offers

When we start receiving offers, it’s important that we look at the full picture—not just the price. Together, we’ll review the buyer’s financing to see if they’re paying cash, are pre-approved, or using a loan that might come with extra steps. We’ll carefully evaluate any contingencies, such as inspections, appraisals, or the sale of their current home, to understand how they might affect our timeline and certainty of closing. The proposed closing date should also align with your plans, so we’ll factor that in. We’ll also take note of the earnest money deposit, which reflects the buyer’s commitment. Our goal is to choose the offer that gives you the best combination of price, terms, and peace of mind.

main

Step 6: Accept an Offer

Once we’ve reviewed all the terms and agreed that an offer meets your needs, the next step is to formally accept it in writing. You will sign the purchase agreement, making sure every condition is clearly understood and documented. At this point, the home is considered “under contract,” and we’ll move into the next phase of the transaction—usually beginning with inspections and the buyer’s due diligence. It's important to note that even after acceptance, there are still key deadlines and contingencies to navigate, and I will stay on top of those to keep everything on track. Accepting an offer is a big milestone, and from here, I focus on making sure the sale reaches a smooth and successful closing.

main

Step 7: Get Ready to Close

As we move toward closing, our focus shifts to fulfilling all remaining obligations and preparing your home—and paperwork—for the final transfer. I’ll ensure all agreed-upon repairs are completed, clear any inspection-related issues, and coordinate with the title company or attorney handling the closing. This is also the time to gather any documents you’ll need, such as warranties, utility info, and keys. You’ll want to schedule your move-out, make sure the property is clean and empty by the agreed date, and cancel or transfer utilities. I will stay in close communication with the buyer’s agent, lender, and closing team to confirm everything is on track for a smooth and timely closing day.

main

Step 8: Close

Closing day is the final step in the home-selling process—and the day ownership officially transfers to the buyer. We’ll review and sign the final documents, including the deed and settlement statement, and confirm everything matches the agreed-upon terms. If you haven’t already, you’ll hand over the keys, garage remotes, and any other necessary items. In most cases, you don’t need to attend the closing in person—we can coordinate remotely if needed. Once everything is signed and the funds are transferred, the sale is complete, and you can officially celebrate the close of this chapter.

Congratulations!

Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.

Testimonials

  • previous
  • next
  • We have bought and sold multiple houses over the years, and our experience with Christina was everything we hoped for and more. She was extremely proactive, seeking out properties that matched our criteria and even did some video walk-throughs without us on days we weren't able to walk through the properties ourselves. She went above and beyond the entire process, including meeting various inspectors at the property and negotiating fair and reasonable prices. We would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell in the Sarasota area, and there wasn't anything we would have changed about our process, which I rarely am able to say these days.
    — Michael B.
  • I would recommend Christina without hesitation. Christina is extremely knowledgeable in her field and keeps up to date with the market. She is not only patient but she is also kind, professional, and trustworthy. It was a pleasure working with her.
    — Yasmine P.
  • My husband and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience while searching and purchasing our new home! Christina was so patient with our house hunt and made sure we felt comfortable every step of the way until closing. If you are looking to sell or buy, look no further!
    — Gabriella B.
  • This is our first home purchase from out of state, and Christina Gaskill was there for us at every step. We met Christina fortuitously while ducking briefly into the Coldwell Banker business center on Siesta Key to escape the searing noon heat. After coming home, we asked Christina to look at homes for us and send videos. She not only gave us a video tour of the homes, but also gave us unbiased observations of the home to include whether the floor is creaking, there is a damp and musty smell, pet marks in the home, construction quality, and pertinent information on home maintenance & construction ordinances. This was invaluable information, as we ar...
    — Thien D.
  • Christina was amazing! She drove all over multiple cities for us until we found the house we wanted. She was super friendly, very responsive, and was very patient as we had a lot of questions about Southwest Florida and the home buying process. We definitely recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.
    — Brandon M.
  • We recently had the great pleasure of working with Christina, she was absolutely hands down Amazing! She was on point with everything, walked us through the selling process step by step, and was in full contact when needed! We really can not say enough good things, and I can guarantee you that she is the best of the best! Definitely #1 in our book! She is such a pleasure to be around and speak to. Very very thankful!
    — Angela W.
  • Working with Christina was a fantastic experience. I so much appreciated her professionalism, knowledge, integrity, and work ethic. She was very responsive to all my inquiries, returning phone calls within minutes. She was very effective at getting answers from my mortgage broker, home insurance company, and HOA to bring everything together to close. She was very familiar with the area of my interest and made the whole process effortless. And she is fun to work with! I would recommend Christina to all my family and friends, and I look forward to working with Christina on my next sale and purchase of a home.
    — Cathy H.
  • Does your realtor bring you champagne in the rain on the coldest day of the year to celebrate your closing? Mine does! Christina patiently worked with us for over a year to find our dream home. We looked at over 100 homes until we finally settled on a lot and decided to build! We moved to Sarasota from DC. Christina not only helped us find our forever home, but also helped us find a rental while our house is being built, and helped us get settled into our new city. Christina was never pushy, always showed up with a smile, and had many laughs along the way. Not only is she our realtor, but she is now a great friend! No matter your budget, Christina i...
    — Jennifer D.
  • Full disclosure, my wife and I can be high-maintenance with extremely grand expectations for individuals we choose to do business with. Christina not only met our expectations, but she also exceeded them. We used Christina for both the buy and sell of our personal real estate in FL. On the buy side, she was constantly on point when we were reaching out, at all times of the day, requesting market comps, personal feedback on the neighborhood, etc We had to run a market analysis or do an in-person visit of 25+ homes. We also were constantly changing our top 3 priorities as we went through the process. She never got frustrated and even guided us as to w...
    — Ehren M.
  • Don’t think there’s enough space to fit in how absolutely amazing Christina was. Constantly stayed in touch and went above and beyond in all aspects. I am going to recommend her to anybody I come across who’s looking for a great realtor. Thank you for everything!
    — Joseph W.
  • Christina is amazing! All around a great person. I could not recommend anyone more than her. She went above and beyond to help us and communicated with us every step of the way. My fiancé and I would not have our dream house now without all of her very hard work and dedication. 1000% recommend her!
    — Alexis R.
  • Christina and I connected by chance based on her dedication to her role as a realtor and representative of buyers and sellers. I had no prior experience with her. Needless to say, the same dedication that brought us together was demonstrated throughout the buying and closing process. It literally was one of the easiest real estate transactions I've been a part of. This was true despite the fact that I was buying a property remotely and which I'd never seen. She was responsive beyond my expectations to all my questions regarding the property, bylaws, costs and inspections. She made me confident that we had covered all issues and was making a good dea...
    — John S.
  • Christina Gaskill is exceptional! She is an expert on the Sarasota real estate market. Christina is incredibly knowledgeable, super responsive, hard working, committed, and tenacious. My wife and I are relocating to the Sarasota area from the Northeast, and Christina made the entire home buying experience simple, efficient, low stress, and fun. She handled every detail from identifying proprieties, scheduling, viewing (12 in 2 days!), the offer, negotiating, lining up brokers, lawyers, inspections, utilities, insurance, closing, the list goes on. Christina was our trusted advisor and on top of everything with skill and expertise. We are so happy to ...
    — Michael R.
  • It was my privilege to work with Christina Gaskill in the recent purchase of a home. I have worked with many realtors through the years, but have never received such care and concern like I received from Christina. She is professional in every respect, but is also very sweet and kind. Her follow-thru is exceptional, and I always knew she would immediately respond if I needed to reach her…even following two hurricanes in which her house had massive destruction. She is a real trooper! There is truly not enough space here for me to list all of her wonderful qualities. I just know that all realtors should aspire to be like her, and follow the processes ...
    — Donna G.
  • We recently had the pleasure of working with Christina, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for her exceptional service during our home-buying journey. As a veteran household, we had specific needs and a budget to consider, and Christina went above and beyond to ensure we found the perfect home without compromising our financial goals. From our first meeting, it was clear that Christina possessed not only extensive knowledge of the housing market but also a genuine understanding of the unique challenges veterans face. With her master’s degree in accountancy, she took the time to listen to our needs and preferences, providing invaluable ins...
    — Holly M.
  • Would definitely recommend Christina if you are looking for a realtor. She was so kind and explained what was going to happen every step of the way. She was always prompt with communication, always willing to answer questions, and always followed through. She also researched people (plumbers, contractors) to make certain repairs and coordinated all of it for us. This was such a tremendous help as we don’t live in the state anymore. Highly recommend!
    — Jenna M.
  • Finding the right home can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, but having the right agent can make the journey much smoother. Christina Gaskill is not just an agent; she is a guiding star in the often overwhelming world of real estate. Her kindness, hard work, and deep knowledge of the market make her the ideal partner for anyone looking to purchase a home.Christina’s kindness stands out immediately. She treated me and my husband with respect and warmth, making the home-buying experience feel personal and special. For example, she took the time to understand our needs and ensuring that every property shown was a good fit. In addition to ...
    — Maria R.
VIEW ALL

Home Search

Home Valuation

Let's Connect

Buy & Sell With Confidence

Get assistance in determining current property value, crafting a competitive offer, writing and negotiating a contract, and much more. Contact me today.

Let's Connect

Follow Me on Instagram

Contact Details

Christina Gaskill

Phone

(941) 539-0445

Email

[email protected]

Address

5145 Ocean Blvd Sarasota, FL 34242

Submit a Message

Message sent successfully!