Selling a home looks simple at first glance: put the house on the market, find a buyer and hand over the keys. In practice, there is more to it. Good preparation can prevent a lot of stress and help you sell your home successfully.
In this step-by-step plan we take you from the first decision to sell all the way to handing over the keys.
1. Decide why and when you want to sell
The first step is to decide why you are selling and when the home needs to be available. Are you moving to a bigger or smaller home, relocating for work, or do you want to find a new home first?
Your preferred timeline largely determines how you approach the sales process. If you have to move a long way for work, the sale will probably need to happen much faster than if you simply want to downsize because you have too much space in your current home. Think ahead, for example, about your preferred transfer date and whether you will need to live somewhere temporarily.
2. Find out what your home is worth
Before you set an asking price, it is important to know roughly what your home is worth. This involves looking at, among other things, comparable homes in the area, the condition of the property, its location and recent sales.
A good asking price is attractive to buyers and realistic in relation to the market. A selling agent can give you the right information, because they have insight into transactions and the actual prices homes have sold for. The price shown on Funda (the main Dutch property portal) is not necessarily the actual sale price.
3. Get your home ready for sale
A tidy, well-maintained home usually sells more easily. So walk through your home with a critical eye. Small repairs, a fresh look and fewer personal belongings can already make a big difference.
Also think about first impressions: the entrance, garden and living room are important spaces for potential buyers.
4. Choose a sales strategy and an estate agent
You can sell your home yourself or hire a selling agent. An estate agent can help with the pricing strategy, presentation, viewings, negotiations and the legal process.
Discuss in advance what matters most to you. Do you mainly want a quick sale, the highest possible price, or certainty and guidance?
5. Make sure the presentation is strong
Good photos, a clear property description and an attractive presentation make your home stand out. An estate agent always works with a professional property presentation company. They take photos and videos of the home and also measure it correctly.
The home is then listed on the relevant property platforms and brought to the attention of potential buyers. Above all, think of Funda, the largest platform in the Netherlands.
Tip: make sure the home is clean, tidy and as neutral as possible during viewings. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves living there easily.
6. Plan and manage the viewings
As soon as the home is online, the first viewings can be scheduled. Make sure interested parties have enough time to look around the home at their own pace. Agree a number of time slots with your estate agent when viewers can come by, and offer several options.
During viewings it is important to be as honest as possible about the home and any points of attention. An interested buyer will often ask later in the process about things such as maintenance, the energy label and structural aspects. Many sellers also include a building survey in the conditions.
7. Receive and assess offers
A buyer who is seriously interested can make an offer. Do not just look at the amount.
The conditions attached to the offer are also important. Think of a financing condition, a building survey, the preferred transfer date and any other conditions that would allow the sale to be cancelled.
The highest offer is therefore not always the best offer. An estate agent can advise you on this.
8. Negotiate and reach agreement
You can accept the offer, reject it or make a counter-proposal. As soon as you have reached agreement on the main terms, the sale is in principle agreed.
Please note: when selling a home to a private buyer, the purchase only becomes final once both parties have signed the purchase agreement and the statutory cooling-off period has passed. If conditions have been included, for example a financing condition, the purchase only becomes final once the financing has been arranged.
9. Sign the purchase agreement
The agreements are recorded in the koopovereenkomst (purchase agreement). Check it carefully before you sign.
It includes, among other things, the sale price, the transfer date, the conditions under which the sale can be cancelled, and agreements on what will and will not stay in the home.
After signing, the buyer usually still has a statutory cooling-off period of three days.
10. Focus on the transfer
Once the agreement has been signed and the sale is final, the period leading up to the transfer at the notary begins. The buyer arranges the financing and often also chooses the notary. The notary prepares the transfer deed.
As the seller, it is important to keep to the agreements made and to make sure the home is handed over in the agreed way and on the agreed date.
11. The final inspection
Shortly before the transfer, there is usually a final inspection of the home. The buyer checks whether the home is in the agreed condition and whether the agreements made have been kept. This appointment also involves the selling agent and, if there is one, the buyer's purchasing agent.
No issues? Then the transfer can take place at the notary.
12. Handing over the keys
At the notary, the necessary documents are signed and the home is officially transferred to the buyer. As soon as the transfer is complete, the buyer receives the keys.
And with that, the sales process is complete.
Good preparation makes the sales process clearer. By being clear in advance about your desired price, timeline and conditions, you arrive at the negotiating table better prepared and avoid surprises along the way. Because a sales process requires quite a bit of knowledge and time, we always recommend hiring a selling agent who can guide you through the entire process.
Koops Makelaardij sells more than 100 homes in the region every year. With offices in Haarlem, Amsterdam and Amstelveen and more than 20 years of local expertise, you can be sure your home is in good hands with us.
Request a free, no-obligation valuation or get to know one of our estate agents.
