The Ann Arbor home seller's guide
How to prepare, price and launch your home so it sells without sitting.
Who this guide is for
This Ann Arbor home seller's guide is for you if you're thinking about selling in the next few months, or even the next year, and you want to understand the whole process before you decide anything.
Maybe a new job is taking you across the country. Maybe you're moving across town because your needs have changed. Either way, you probably have the same questions most sellers have: Are we pricing this right? Is it going to sell? What if we're stuck between two houses?
This guide walks you through selling a home in the Ann Arbor area in the order it actually happens: prepare, price, and launch, then everything from the first offer to closing day. Read it at your own pace. When you're ready to talk about your home specifically, I'm here.
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Step 1: Decide your timing and your next move
Before you think about paint or price, think about timing. The date you need to be out of your home shapes everything else.
If a job is taking you out of state, your start date usually sets the timeline. Work backward from it. You'll want time to prepare the house, time on the market, and time from an accepted offer to closing.
If you're buying your next home in the area, decide on the order with your lender before you list. Some sellers buy first and sell after. Others sell first and plan where to stay in between. Some try to line up both closings as close together as possible. The right answer depends on your equity, your lender, and how much overlap you're comfortable carrying.
Write down your ideal moving date and your must-have date. That one step makes every later decision easier. If you're moving up or moving to less house, my pages on trading up and downsizing go deeper.
Step 2: Prepare your home
Buyers decide quickly, and most of them see your home first on a mobile phone. Preparing your home is about making those first few photos count.
Start with a walkthrough. Walk through each room as if you were a buyer seeing it for the first time. Notice what catches your eye: a crowded counter, a dark corner, a room that's hard to understand.
Next, separate what's worth fixing from what isn't. Small things often matter more than big ones. A burned-out bulb, a sticky door, or a dripping faucet tells a buyer the house hasn't been cared for. A full kitchen remodel right before selling rarely pays for itself.
Then clear things out. If you've lived in your home for years, this is often the hardest part, and it takes longer than people expect. Start early and go one room at a time. Pack what you won't need before the move, and the house will look bigger and photograph better.
When I list a home, we do this walkthrough together before the photographer arrives, and I tell you what I'd recommend fixing and what isn't worth your money.
Step 3: Price it from the sales near you
Price is the most important decision you'll make, and it should come from the homes that actually sold near you, not from an online estimate.
Online estimates can't see inside your home. They don't know about your updated kitchen, your finished basement, or the busy road behind the fence. They also average across areas where a few blocks can make a real difference, which happens often around Ann Arbor.
A reliable price comes from three groups of homes near yours. The homes that recently sold show what buyers have actually paid. The homes for sale now show what you'll compete with. The homes that didn't sell show where buyers said no.
A home priced well draws strong interest in its first days on the market, when attention is highest. A home that starts too high can lose the buyers who would have loved it at the right price, and by the time the price comes down, those buyers may wonder why it sat.
When we work together, we price your home together. I show you the sales, tell you clearly what I recommend and why, and you decide. Read more about how I set a price, or start with what your home is worth.
Step 4: Get it ready for photo day
Photo day is when your home's first impression gets made. A simple list helps:
- Turn on every light and open the blinds.
- Clear kitchen and bathroom counters.
- Put away small everyday items, like mail, chargers, and toiletries.
- Make the beds and straighten the pillows and towels.
- Move cars out of the driveway, and tidy the yard and front walk.
When I list a home, the media package includes professional photography, a video walkthrough, and drone footage that shows the lot, the street, and what's nearby. Around Ann Arbor, location is a big part of what buyers pay for, and drone footage shows it better than words can. See how I present a home.
Step 5: Launch, don't just list
The first days on the market are when your home gets the most attention it will ever get. Everything should be ready before it goes live: the price, the photos and video, and the description.
A listing on the MLS reaches buyers who are already searching with an agent. Many other good buyers aren't at that point yet. A paid social media campaign puts your home in front of them.
When I launch a home, it gets its own property website and a paid social media campaign that runs for its first two weeks, reaching buyers in and around the Ann Arbor area. Retargeting keeps your home in front of anyone who looks and leaves. Just Listed postcards with a QR code go to your neighbors, who often know someone who would love to live on their street. Read more in how my campaign reaches more buyers.
Step 6: Showings and offers
Once your home is live, keep it ready to show. The first two weeks are when interest is highest, so this is when a tidy house matters most.
When offers come in, look at more than the price. Every offer also has terms: how the buyer is paying, which conditions the sale depends on, and the dates for inspection, financing, and closing. A slightly lower offer with stronger terms can be the better choice.
I explain each offer in plain words, tell you what I recommend, and you decide.
Step 7: From accepted offer to closing day
After you accept an offer, the work shifts to the buyer's inspection, the appraisal, the buyer's lender, and the paperwork. This is the part of selling many people worry about most, because it can feel like it's out of your hands.
What helps most is knowing what's coming. When I represent a seller, I keep a checklist from listing day to closing day, and you hear the next step from me before you need to ask. If something unexpected comes up, I explain what it means and what your options are.
Mistakes to avoid when you sell
- Pricing high to leave room. It can cost you the buyers who would have paid a strong price in the first weeks.
- Trusting an online estimate. It can't see inside your home, and it changes every week.
- Going live before you're ready. Half-finished photos or a cluttered house waste the days when attention is highest.
- Skipping the plan for your next home. Decide the order of your sale and your purchase before you list, so you aren't stuck between two houses.
- Taking on a major renovation right before you sell. A big project rarely pays for itself. Small fixes and a clean, uncluttered house usually matter more.
- Hiring without seeing the plan. Ask any agent you talk to to show you exactly how they will price, present, and market your home.
Your next step
I'm Nancy Arnold, a REALTOR® with The Charles Reinhart Company. I've worked the Ann Arbor market for 13 years. I'd be glad to walk you through this plan for your home specifically, so you can see what it would look like before you decide anything.
Call me or send a note to set up a time. You can also read how I help sellers or explore Ann Arbor neighborhoods. Make it a great home selling and buying day.
This guide describes my general approach. It is not legal, tax, or lending advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I start preparing to sell?
As early as you can. Clearing out a long-owned home takes longer than most people expect, so starting a few rooms at a time takes the pressure off.
Should I renovate before I sell?
Usually not. Small fixes and a clean, uncluttered house tend to matter more than a big project.
Is the highest offer always the best one?
Not always. Look at the terms too, including how the buyer is paying, the conditions, and the dates.
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Ready to make your move with Nancy Arnold?