The guides
From a first conversation to closing and keys
Process · Start here
The Seller Roadmap, From First Call to Closing
The stages of a California home sale in order, the decisions that belong to you at each one and how to prepare for the next.
- Preparation checklist
Preparation
Pre-Listing Preparation Checklist
A considered sequence of decisions, repairs, records and room-by-room work to complete before your home is introduced to the market.
- Photo day planner
Preparation
Staging and Photography Preparation
General staging practice for considered homes, and a room-by-room sequence for the days before the photographer arrives.
- Comps worksheet
Pricing
How to Read Comparable Sales
How a pricing review uses recent sales, current listings and adjustments, and how to follow its reasoning for a distinctive home without relying on a single number.
- Net sheet builder
Costs
A Seller's Guide to the Costs of Selling
The categories of cost a California home seller may see, the withholding rules to raise early, who to ask about each item and how to read an estimated net sheet.
- Disclosure tracker
Disclosures
California Seller Disclosures, Explained
The main written disclosures and statements a California home seller may deliver, the code section behind each one and a calm sequence for preparing them.
- Interview notebook
Choosing an agent
Questions to Ask When Choosing a Listing Agent
The questions to ask any listing agent before you sign, how to check a California license, how to weigh the answers and what to read in a listing agreement.
- Showing checklist
Showings
Showings and Open Houses, Notes for Owners
How private showings and open houses work, how to keep the home ready each day and how to protect your privacy and valuables.
- Estate organizer
Inherited and trust homes
Selling an Inherited or Trust Home
The questions to settle before listing a home held in a trust or estate, who decides, how to care for the home and its contents, and what may differ from an ordinary sale.
- Closing countdown
Closing
Closing Week and Moving-Out Checklist
A calm, ordered checklist for the last stretch of escrow, from signing appointments and the care of collections to handing over the keys.
When you would like a second set of eyes
If you would like to talk through any of these guides for your own home, Sidney is glad to help.
Sidney Manzo, licensed real estate agent, in real estate since 1990. CA DRE #01108914. RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193.