How to Sell a House: Step‑by‑Step Guide for 2025

Selling a house can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re unsure where to start. If you’re wondering how to sell a house in St. John’s and surrounding area, this guide will walk you through the process step by step. We’ve tailored these steps for homeowners in St. John’s and all of Newfoundland area, so you’ll get local insights along with general best practices. Our tone is clear and encouraging, balancing helpful guidance with a soft touch about our services. By following these steps, you can approach the St. John’s home selling process with confidence – and maybe even excitement!

 1. Understand the St. John’s Real Estate Market

Every successful sale begins with understanding your local market. In St. John’s (and surrounding Northeast Avalon communities), real estate has its own seasonal trends and buyer dynamics. Local context matters: demand can pick up in spring and summer when the weather is milder and families prefer to move, while winters in Newfoundland might see fewer (but serious) buyers due to the weather. Take a look at recent sales in your neighborhood and note how long homes stay on the market. As of 2025, the market in St. John’s is quite active, with many homes selling in just a few weeks when priced right.

Tip: It’s wise to consult a local real estate agent early in the process. A knowledgeable agent will explain current market conditions in St. John’s and all of Newfoundland, including whether you’re in a seller’s market or a buyer’s market. This helps set realistic expectations on price and timeline. Feel free to contact us for a no-obligation conversation about your property and the current market conditions. We’re always happy to chat about what the market is doing and how it might impact your sale. By understanding the local real estate landscape from the start, you can time your listing well and make informed decisions. Remember, knowledge is power – even in real estate!

2. Price Your Home Correctly from the Start

One of the most important steps in selling your home is pricing it correctly. The price you set will determine how much attention your listing gets and how quickly it may sell. Pricing your home for sale in St. John’s requires looking at comparable recent sales in your area (often called “comps”), current listings you’ll be competing with, and the unique features of your property. While it might be tempting to “try a high price” and lower it later, overpricing can deter buyers – especially in a close-knit market like St. John’s where buyers and agents often know market values. An overpriced home can linger on the market and develop a stigma, whereas a well-priced home can attract multiple interested buyers.

How do you get the price right? Start with a professional evaluation. Our team offers a Home Evaluation service where we analyze your property and provide a comparative market analysis. This free home evaluation gives you a data-driven value range based on the St. John’s home selling process and recent Northeast Avalon sales. It’s much more accurate than generic online estimates because it accounts for local factors – from the age of your HVAC system to the view of Signal Hill from your backyard. With the right price, you’ll set the stage for a faster sale and stronger negotiating position. We’ll work with you to strike that perfect balance: a price that maximizes your return while remaining attractive to buyers.

3. Prepare Your Home for Sale

Once you have a pricing strategy, it’s time to make your home shine. Preparing your home for sale is all about creating a strong first impression for buyers in St. John’s. Remember, local buyers often appreciate well-maintained homes because our Newfoundland climate can be tough on properties. Here’s how to get your home market-ready:

• Declutter and Depersonalize: Remove excess items and personal decorations. A cleaner, simpler space helps buyers envision themselves living there. In St. John’s, many homes have cozy sizes, so maximizing the sense of space is key. Consider storing bulky winter gear and extra furniture to open up rooms.

• Deep Clean: Give your home a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. This includes washing windows (to let in that precious natural light), cleaning appliances, and ensuring every room smells fresh. If you’re selling during our wetter seasons, be extra vigilant about damp or musty odors – a dehumidifier can help.

• Complete Minor Repairs: Fix that leaky faucet, replace burned-out bulbs, and touch up peeling paint. Small repairs prevent buyers from seeing your home as a “fixer-upper.” In older St. John’s homes, check the basement for any signs of moisture and address them before listing.

• Boost Curb Appeal: First impressions start at the curb. Trim the bushes, mow the lawn, and in winter, keep driveways and walkways clear of snow and ice. A tidy exterior in Newfoundland climate shows buyers that the property is well cared for year-round. Maybe add a fresh coat of paint to the front door or some potted flowers in summer for a welcoming touch.

Tip: Consider staging your home or at least arranging furniture to highlight each room’s best features. Staging can be as simple as adding fresh linens and tasteful decor or as involved as renting furniture for empty spaces. We provide staging support and advice as part of our service—including professional staging guidance and immersive 3D tours. Learn more on our Marketing Plan page. The goal is to present a move-in-ready home that captures buyers’ hearts. A little effort in preparation can translate into a higher sale price and quicker sale, as buyers in St. John’s will feel confident your property is well-maintained and worth every penny.

4. Market Your Home to the Right Buyers

Now that your home looks its best, it’s time to put it in front of as many qualified buyers as possible. Effective marketing is crucial to attract interest and competitive offers. In today’s market, most buyers in St. John’s start their home search online, so we ensure your property has a strong online presence through a variety of strategic marketing techniques, including:

• Professional Photography & 3D Tours: High-quality photos are non-negotiable. Bright, wide-angle shots of each room and beautiful exterior photos will make your online listing pop. We also offer immersive 3D virtual tours that let remote buyers “walk through” your home online, which is especially useful for relocation buyers eyeing St. John’s from out of town. High-quality visuals ensure your home’s best features stand out from the competition.

• Online Listings & Social Media: Your home will be listed on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), which feeds to popular real estate sites. Beyond that, we leverage social media and targeted online ads to reach buyers who are searching for homes in St. John’s Nefoundland. For example, someone Googling "houses for sale in St. John’s" or browsing Facebook real estate groups will have a better chance of seeing your property. We’ll highlight keywords like St. John’s home for sale in the listing description so local buyers find it easily.

• Print and Community Marketing: While digital marketing is key, we don’t ignore traditional methods. A well-placed “For Sale” sign in front of your home lets the neighborhood know it’s on the market (you never know, a friend of a neighbor might be interested!). We also tap into our network of local agents and past clients. In a community-oriented area like, word-of-mouth and networking can be surprisingly powerful. Our team might already know a few buyers looking for a home like yours.

Tip: Marketing a home in St. John’s means emphasizing what makes life here great. Is your property near walking trails, good schools, or have an ocean view? We’ll make sure to mention those. We understand what buyers value – whether it’s a warm fireplace for the winter or a nice garden for those long summer evenings – and we tailor the marketing to spotlight those features. With a strategic marketing plan, your home will reach the right buyers, near and far, who are excited about what your property and St. John’s have to offer.

5. Be Ready for Showings and Open Houses

Marketing efforts will (hopefully) lead to a flurry of showing requests and maybe an open house or two. Now it’s your job as the seller to accommodate interested buyers and make them feel at home during visits. Showings are appointments for individual buyers (usually with their agents) to tour your home, and open houses are scheduled times when multiple visitors can drop in. Here’s how to navigate this stage:

• Stay Flexible with Scheduling: In a busy real estate market, buyers might request showings during evenings, weekends, or even on short notice. The more flexible you can be with allowing showings, the more potential buyers will get to see your home. We understand it can be inconvenient to tidy up and step out, but being accommodating is often key to a quicker sale. If you’re living in the home while selling, try to maintain that “show-ready” condition (beds made, dishes away) so you can handle a showing on a short notice.

• Make Buyers Feel Comfortable: During showings or open houses, it’s best if you (and any pets) are not at home. Buyers tend to feel more relaxed and spend more time looking if the owner isn’t present. Take a short walk or run an errand while we handle the tour. Before leaving, turn on lights and open curtains to make your home bright and welcoming (we want those great views of the Narrows or your cozy backyard to be visible!). If it’s a chilly day, ensure the heat is set to a comfortable temperature; if it’s hot, consider some light AC or fans.

• Keep It Clean and Safe: Continue to keep your home clean and clutter-free throughout the showing period. Pay special attention to entryways – here in St. John’s, buyers will often be removing shoes or boots at the door, so have a clean mat and maybe a shoe rack available. In winter, salt or sand your steps to prevent ice – safety is part of a good impression. Also, secure or remove any valuables just for peace of mind. Our team will provide feedback from buyers when possible, so you’ll hear if there are any simple fixes that could improve showings as you go (for example, if multiple people comment on a pet odor or a dark room, you can address it promptly).

Tip: Open houses can attract casual lookers and nosy neighbours, but they also might surface that one buyer who falls in love. We’ll coordinate and host these events, showcasing all the selling points of your home. Your role is simply to ensure the home is tidy and welcoming, then leave the rest to us. With each showing, imagine a future owner walking in and loving what they see – that vision can keep you motivated to maintain your home’s appeal until the right buyer comes along.

6. Negotiating Offers with Confidence

Before long, if all goes well, you’ll receive one or more offers from interested buyers. This is the moment all your preparation pays off! An offer will outline the price the buyer is willing to pay and any terms or conditions (common conditions in St. John’s real estate offers include financing, home inspection, or sometimes the sale of the buyer’s own property). Negotiating offers is where having a skilled real estate agent really becomes invaluable – we’ll help you evaluate each offer and strategize your response. Here’s what to expect:

• Review the Offer Details: It’s not just about the price. We’ll look at the proposed closing date, any conditions, and whether the buyer is asking for inclusions (appliances, light fixtures, etc.). For example, a buyer might offer your full asking price but request a long closing or have a condition to sell their current home first. Another might offer a bit less but with no conditions and a quicker closing. We’ll help you compare the pros and cons of each.

• Counteroffers and Strategy: As the seller, you can accept an offer, reject it, or make a counteroffer to try for better terms. Perhaps you want a slightly higher price, or a different closing date to line up with your move. In a competitive St. John’s home selling process, if multiple offers come in, we might even set a deadline for “best and final” offers (a strategy often used in hotter markets when bidding wars occur). Our role is to negotiate firmly on your behalf but also fairly to keep the buyer engaged. The goal is to reach an agreement that you’re happy with and that the buyer feels confident about.

• Lean on Local Expertise: Negotiating can be emotional – this is your home, after all. We’ll provide objective advice rooted in experience with the St. John’s and the surrounding area market. For instance, if we know that demand for homes like yours is very high, we might encourage a stronger stance on price. If the market is slower, we might focus on securing a solid deal quickly. Trust the data and your agent’s guidance. We’re here to get you the best possible outcome, whether that means a higher price, a quick sale, or ideal terms that fit your needs.

Tip: Once both you and the buyer sign an accepted offer, congratulations – you’re under contract! In most cases, there will be a short period for the buyer to fulfill any conditions (such as getting final mortgage approval or doing a home inspection). During this time, the sale isn’t final, but it’s on track. We’ll keep you informed at every step, and if any issues arise (like an inspection turning up an unexpected repair), we’ll help negotiate those details too. By the end of this stage, you’ll have a firm deal and be ready to move on to the final step.

7. Closing the Sale and Moving Forward

The closing stage is the finish line of your home selling journey. “Closing” refers to the process where the ownership of the home is officially transferred from you to the buyer. In St. John’s and Newfoundland, this typically involves real estate lawyers (for both you and the buyer) who handle the paperwork, title transfer, and funds. Here’s what you should anticipate as you move toward closing day:

• Satisfying Conditions: If the buyer’s offer had conditions, those will need to be completed by the deadlines in the contract. For example, a home inspection might happen within 7-10 days of acceptance. Be prepared to allow access for an inspector. If the report is clean, great! If some issues arise, the buyer might request repairs or a price adjustment. Don’t panic – we’ll negotiate any inspection-related concerns to keep the deal on track. Similarly, for a financing condition, the buyer’s lender may send an appraiser to your home; this is routine.

• Legal and Paperwork: You’ll need to hire a real estate lawyer (if you haven’t already) to handle the closing documents. Your lawyer will work with the buyer’s lawyer to arrange the transfer of title, ensure any liens or financial holdbacks are addressed, and prepare the closing statement (which details all the finances of the sale). In Newfoundland and Labrador, the lawyers also handle the exchange of keys. A few days before closing, you will likely go to your lawyer’s office to sign the final documents. We will provide your lawyer with all the necessary sale documents from our side as well.

• Moving Out: Plan your move in tandem with the closing date. Typically, you’ll need to vacate the home by the time closing is complete (often by noon of the closing day, but it can vary). Start packing early so you’re not rushed. Don’t forget to cancel or transfer utilities (power, internet, etc.) effective on the closing date, and arrange to forward your mail. Many sellers in St. John’s also like to leave a quick note or instructions for the new owners about the home (like garbage day schedules or where to find the best fish and chips in the neighborhood!) – a nice personal touch but not required.

• Closing Day: On the day of closing, your lawyer and the buyer’s lawyer will exchange funds and register the property to the new owner. Once everything is confirmed, we’ll let you know that the deal is officially closed. You’ll hand over the keys (usually via the lawyers or your agent), and the home is no longer yours. Congratulations, you’ve sold your home!

Tip: After closing, you’ll receive the remaining proceeds from the sale (the sale price minus any mortgage payoffs, legal fees, and realtor commissions) from your lawyer. Take a moment to celebrate this milestone – selling a home is a big achievement. Whether you’re staying in Newfoundland and moving to a new place or heading off on a new adventure elsewhere, you’ve successfully navigated the home selling process.

Ready to sell your home? Get started today!

Selling your home in St. John’s and the surrounding area doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right preparation and a knowledgeable team by your side, it can actually be an empowering process. This step-by-step guide covered everything from pricing your home for sale correctly to handling showings, negotiations, and closing. By keeping these steps in mind, you’ll know what to expect at each stage and be ready to tackle it.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want some expert guidance, we’re here to help every step of the way. From our Home Evaluation page (to help you determine the best price) to our full marketing services page (detailing how we showcase your home), we have resources to support you. Our goal is to make your home selling journey as smooth and rewarding as possible.

Final encouragement: You’ve built a life in your home, and now it’s time to let a new owner make their memories there. With careful planning, a bit of elbow grease in prepping your home, and a trusted real estate partner, you can achieve a successful sale. The St. John’s and the surrounding area real estate market is waiting for your listing – and we’re excited to help you make a sold sign a reality. Good luck, and remember, you don’t have to do it alone – we’re just a phone call or email away when you’re ready to take the next step in selling your home!

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