Online price checks - read this first
Many homeowners start by checking sites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Redfin, or Trulia to see recent neighborhood sales and estimate value. That’s understandable—just keep in mind:
- These sites aren’t 100% complete. Sales that never hit the MLS (pocket listings, For Sale By Owner) may be missing.
- Info can be out of date or inaccurate. Not every agent manually changes a listing from Active to Sold on every portal, so a home might still show Active months after closing.
- Professional appraisers focus on sales from the last 90 days in your specific area. Most consumer sites don’t let you sort strictly by the last 90 days.
- Square footage is often missing, making it hard to compare truly similar homes.
Therefore, step 1 to selling your home should be to interview Realtors and ask for a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA).
Find a Realtor
We hope you’ll reach out to our team at jean@jeanlewishomes.com or call 618-799-9205 so we can meet in person and see if we’re a good fit. Not all Realtors are right for all people—you need someone who’s great at the job and someone you like and trust. Ask friends and family for referrals, then set up initial phone screenings. Notice how quickly each Realtor responds—within 24 hours is the bar. Real estate moves fast. Slow responses can cost you on showings, offers, and negotiations.
Initial Phone Screening
Ask if the Realtor knows your neighborhood and has helped clients buy or sell there. Discuss experience. If it feels like a fit, request a CMA and set an in-person meeting. Be ready to answer questions about your home, your current mortgage balance, and any needed repairs—this helps create an accurate CMA.
Meet In Person and Review the CMA
Bring thoughtful questions. You can use our “Interview Questions for Hiring a Realtor” (click here). Review the CMA and discuss value and local average Days on Market (DOM). If they don’t know DOM for your area, that’s a red flag. Ask about their fee, estimated closing costs, and what you might net at different price points. Be honest about timing and money needs so they can tailor the strategy. And trust your gut.
Need a primer first? See our tips on reading a CMA (click here).
Sign the Paperwork
Once you choose your Realtor, you’ll sign a listing agreement authorizing representation. That starts the process to bring your home to market.