For sellers
Selling your home with us
Pricing from the data, preparation that pays back, marketing built for the property, and negotiation on terms as well as price.
Pricing that comes from the data
A listing price is a strategy, not a wish. Our agents price from closed and pending sales in your specific neighborhood, adjusted for condition, lot, view, and timing, and they will show you the comparables rather than a number. The goal is a price that produces competition in the first two weeks, when a listing has the most attention, rather than one that drifts down over months. Request a valuation to see how your home compares today.
Preparation that pays back
Not every improvement returns its cost, and some of the highest-return work is the least expensive: paint, lighting, landscaping, decluttering, and repairs that would otherwise appear in a buyer’s inspection report. Your agent will walk the property with you and produce a short, prioritized list. For larger homes and estates, staging and a pre-listing inspection are often worth it; the inspection in particular lets you fix or price for issues before a buyer uses them to renegotiate.
Marketing built for the property
Every listing represented by the brokerage receives professional photography. Video, drone, floor plans, and virtual tours are added where they help, which is most of the time for homes with land, views, or architecture worth showing. The listing is published on sothebysrealty.com and distributed through the Sotheby’s International Realty network’s referral channels and partner sites, in addition to the MetroList MLS and the public portals. Print and digital campaigns are scaled to the property and the buyer most likely to purchase it, whether that buyer is in Roseville, San Francisco, or overseas.
Showings, offers, and negotiation
Showings are managed to your schedule and your privacy, with feedback collected after each one. When offers arrive, your agent presents them side by side on the terms that matter: price, financing strength, contingencies and their timelines, appraisal gaps, rent-backs, and the buyer’s track record. In multiple-offer situations, the strongest offer is not always the highest number. Negotiation continues through escrow; inspection requests and appraisal issues are handled with the same discipline.
Disclosures and the escrow period
California sellers complete detailed disclosures, and doing them thoroughly protects you after the sale. Your agent prepares the disclosure package, coordinates inspections and any agreed repairs, manages the contract dates, and keeps the buyer’s lender and the escrow officer moving. Expect 21 to 45 days from acceptance to closing for a financed purchase, less for cash.
Selling an estate, land, or commercial property
Estate properties, acreage, and commercial buildings each sell to a narrower pool of buyers and reward targeted marketing. The brokerage’s agents have represented gated-community estates, equestrian properties, vineyard parcels, and downtown commercial buildings, and the Sotheby’s International Realty network reaches the buyers for each. See our pages on land and commercial property.
Questions sellers ask
What does it cost to sell with you?
Commissions are not set by law and are negotiable. Your agent will explain the listing fee, what it covers, and how any offer of compensation to a buyer’s agent would be handled, before you sign a listing agreement.
How long will it take to sell?
It depends on price, condition, and the segment. Well-priced homes in the region’s busiest price bands can go pending within days; estate and rural properties typically take longer and sell on terms as well as price. Your agent will give you a realistic range for your home.
Should I make repairs before listing?
Fix what a buyer’s inspector will find and what affects the first impression. Skip large remodels that will not return their cost. A pre-listing inspection is often worth it on older homes and estates.
Can I sell and buy at the same time?
Yes. Options include a rent-back after closing, a purchase contingent on your sale, bridge financing, or sequencing the escrows. Your agent will map the choices to your finances and the market for both homes.
Client reviews
What sellers say
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“There are so many moving parts when buying or selling a home. Chris Hagerman was there every step of the way, from writing a competitive offer that ultimately got us the home to scheduling inspections. He handled weeks of complicated paperwork and forms. He is dependable and always willing to go the extra mile for his clients.”
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“Marlease Sewell, without a doubt, walked me through the process of selling my home of over 50 years to helping buy my new home, with endless attention. Her attention to detail, hands-on approach, and availability were so appreciated. Marlease would be my first choice in real estate.”
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“I have bought and sold many homes over the years and used many different agents. Julie Fletcher is knowledgeable, experienced, and a pleasure to be around. Julie is a skilled negotiator. I was pleasantly surprised when she got more for my home than I ever expected.”
Start with an honest number
A valuation grounded in current sales in your neighborhood, delivered by an agent who will tell you what the market will and will not pay.