The Selling Process Should Fit Your Situation, Not the Other Way Around
When a client reaches out about selling their home, the first thing I suggest is meeting at the home.
I will run preliminary “comps” and use different tools to estimate value, but until I see the home in person, I can’t give a truly accurate price range. Every home has details that don’t show up in data.
At that first meeting, I’ll walk through an outline of the selling process so you know what to expect. Even more important, I want to understand your situation.
- Why you’re selling
- What kind of timeline feels realistic
- What concerns you have about the process
While there is a typical process to sell a home, it doesn’t always fit every situation. That’s why we’ll tailor a sales plan that meets your needs.
When the Typical Approach Doesn’t Work
There are many reasons the standard approach to selling doesn’t fit. Health concerns, changing needs, tenant situations, or simply not wanting the disruption that can come with preparing a home for the market.
For example, I worked with a seller who had tenants in the home, and the tenant was dealing with health issues. Minimizing disruption was more important than anything else. Instead of going straight to the open market, we started in the Private Listing Network (PLN).
This allowed us to introduce the home to agents and their buyers while giving the seller more control over when the property officially went live. Most sellers choose to go fully active right away to maximize exposure and price. In this case, timing and minimizing disruption were more important and this gave us a way to balance both.
We kept activity limited, focused on serious interest, and still received an offer over asking price. More importantly, it avoided weeks of disruption for the tenant.
The Support Behind the Sale
Selling a home is not just about the market. For many people, it’s everything that comes with it. Packing, sorting, deciding what to keep, and figuring out next steps can feel like the biggest hurdle, especially if you’ve been in your home for many years.
You don’t have to handle that alone. I have trusted resources who can help with:
- Decluttering and organizing
- Pre-packing and packing
- Estate sales and downsizing
- Guidance for transitions into assisted living or other housing options
Every situation is different, so those resources are something we talk through based on what you need, not a one-size-fits-all list.
Communication That Works for You
Communication is one of the most important parts of this process, and it should work in a way that makes sense for each person. Every situation is different. I’ve had clients who don’t use email, some who rely on it, some who prefer text, and others who want phone calls only. When expectations are clear from the start, communication stays consistent and nothing gets missed.
Before real estate, I spent over 20 years as a sign language interpreter and I’m still fluent in ASL. I always appreciate the opportunity to work with Deaf and hard of hearing clients. Sometimes that means meeting in person. Other times, it may involve interpreters, relay services, phone calls, texts, or email, whatever makes communication clear and comfortable.
Open communication helps remove barriers and helps the process feel accessible, not frustrating or unclear. The most important part is making sure communication is set up in a way that works from the beginning. When that’s in place, everything else becomes much easier.
Creating a Plan That Feels Right
My goal is always to make the home selling process feel less stressful and more manageable. That starts with understanding your situation and building a plan that fits your needs, not forcing you into a process that doesn’t. When the right plan is in place, everything else tends to fall into place as well.
If you’re thinking about selling, even if it’s months or years away, it’s never too early for a next chapter chat.
Daina Jacobson is a REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago who helps buyers and sellers navigate the real estate markets in Northern Lake County, Illinois, and southern Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Based in Wadsworth, Illinois, she specializes in homes with land, acreage properties, and homes served by private wells and septic systems.
Before entering real estate, Daina spent two decades working as a certified interpreter fluent in American Sign Language, a background that shaped her ability to listen carefully and guide clients through complex decisions with clarity.
When she’s not assisting clients, Daina devotes time to animal rescue as one of the co-founders of Two Furs Rescue. At home in Wadsworth she enjoys caring for her many animals, including cats, a dog, chickens, and ducks, while also planting and preserving native plants and trees around her property.