Questions Sellers Ask Sharon
The seller questions Sharon answers every week.
Fifty-eight questions, grouped the way sellers actually ask them: preparing to sell, pricing and marketing, offers and negotiations, inspections and closing, and working with a REALTOR. Sharon Yeary, Associate Broker with eXp Realty, answers in plain English, and where a number depends on your contract, your lender, or your county, she says so and points you to the right source.
Part One
Preparing to Sell
What is my home worth in today's market?
A broker starts with a comparative market analysis: recent closed sales, active competition, and your home's condition, upgrades, and location. That gives a realistic range for today's buyers, not last year's peak. Ask Sharcom for a free valuation and you will get numbers built on real comparable sales, not an algorithm.
How do you determine the recommended listing price?
We triangulate three things: closed sales of true comparable homes, what is actively competing with your home right now, and your home's specific condition and features. Then we price where the buyers actually are. Smart pricing beats a hopeful number every time, because the first weeks set the market's opinion of your home.
What improvements should I make before listing?
Focus on what buyers in your price range expect: fresh paint, clean floors, good landscaping, and a tidy, decluttered home. Major remodels rarely pay for themselves unless yours are dated well beyond the norm. Your broker should tell you which items to fix and which to leave alone.
Which repairs will provide the best return?
The highest returns come from items that appear on inspection reports anyway: dripping plumbing, electrical nicks, roof issues, and anything structurally questionable. Cosmetic updates like paint and flooring give the biggest visual payoff for the smallest outlay. Ask your broker for the shortlist specific to your home before you spend a dollar.
Should I renovate, offer an allowance or sell the home as-is?
It depends on your timeline and your market. If you can wait, targeted updates can widen your buyer pool; if speed matters, an allowance or a fair as-is price with a pre-listing inspection often nets nearly the same. Sharon's team will show you the math for your home so the decision runs on numbers, not nerves.
Do I need to repaint or replace flooring?
Not always, but neutral paint and clean flooring are the two cheapest ways to widen your buyer pool. The goal is for buyers to picture their own furniture in the home. Your broker can tell you honestly whether yours reads dated or fine.
Should I have a pre-listing inspection?
It is almost always worth it. A pre-listing inspection tells you what a buyer's inspector is likely to find, so you can fix issues on your own schedule or disclose them honestly up front. You control the narrative instead of getting surprised during the option period.
How should I prepare my home for photographs and showings?
Declutter the countertops, remove personal photos, open the curtains for natural light, and make the beds with crisp linens. Professional photography captures the space, so rooms should look larger and lighter than real life. A few minutes of staging before every showing matters more than most owners expect.
Should I stage my home?
For most homes, yes, at least the key rooms: the living area, primary bedroom, and kitchen. Full staging pays for itself on the price side in most markets, and even a light version helps buyers see the layout. Your listing should look like it belongs in a magazine, because that is what buyers compare it against.
What should I remove or store before listing?
Anything personal: family photos, collectibles, religious decor, and valuables. Store excess furniture so rooms feel bigger, and clear countertops and closets to suggest generous storage. Buyers pay for space they can picture themselves in.
Can I sell a home that needs substantial repairs?
Yes, and there is a whole market for it. You can list as-is at a fair price, or pursue a guaranteed cash offer through Sharcom's program and skip the showings entirely. The key is honest pricing that reflects condition, which is exactly what a broker's comparable analysis handles.
How do I sell an inherited property or estate home?
Start with the paperwork: confirm who holds title and whether probate is complete, because you cannot sign a contract you do not legally own. Then get an estate-friendly valuation, since inherited homes are often dated and priced accordingly. Your broker will coordinate with the estate attorney so the sale and the probate timeline line up.
Part Two
Pricing and Marketing
What happens if we price the home too high?
The market decides fast: showings stall, days on market climb, and buyers assume something is wrong. In markets that moved quickly for years, an overpriced listing often sells for less than it would have at a smart price, because price cuts chip away at buyer confidence.
Can we start high and reduce the price later?
You can, but it almost always costs you. Buyers and their agents watch price history, and a cut can signal desperation even when the home is solid. Pricing right the first time captures the first-wave buyer attention that drives competition.
How long should it take to sell?
In normal Texas conditions, well-priced homes in active neighborhoods commonly go under contract in a few weeks; 2025 public data showed Houston days on market averaging around 64 and Katy homes often selling in 20 to 30 days. The real answer depends on your price point, your market, and how well your home shows.
What marketing will you provide?
A full package: professional photography, floor plans, and video where it adds value, listing across the major portals, your broker's buyer network, local channels, and open houses. The Sharcom listing process also includes honest staging guidance and offer analysis on the full terms.
Will you use professional photography, video, drone photography or a 3D tour?
Yes, matched to the home. Photos are standard for every listing; video and drone shots elevate homes with land, views, or architecture, and 3D tours let serious buyers walk the floorplan before they visit. Your broker should spend the marketing budget where it moves your specific home.
Where will my property be advertised?
Your home should be syndicated to the major consumer portals, visible on your agent's own networks, and marketed through local channels and broker networks. Sharcom reviews performance and adjusts while your home is active. Ask to see the exact distribution plan before you sign, not after.
How will you market my home differently from other listings?
A Sharcom listing gets the same depth of judgment behind its pricing and presentation: a real comparable market analysis, honest staging, professional media, and a pricing strategy calibrated to create competition early. The difference shows up in the details buyers judge in the first five seconds online.
Should we hold an open house?
Usually yes, in the first weekend, especially in active neighborhoods. Open houses surface neighbors, drive-by interest, and unrepresented buyers, and they signal a serious listing. They rarely hurt, and they add a marketing beat your listing should have.
Do open houses actually sell homes?
Sometimes directly, but their bigger job is feeding the market: they introduce the home to the neighborhood, generate broker chatter, and push online interest. The data that actually sells is pricing and presentation; the open house is part of the machine that gets buyers to the door.
Why are buyers looking at my home but not making offers?
Usually one of three things: price, condition, or presentation. If the traffic is there, the listing is being seen; if the offers are not, buyers are seeing value they do not trust. The fix starts with fresh showing feedback, which is exactly what your broker should collect from every agent who walks through.
When should we consider a price adjustment?
Let the feedback and the numbers lead. If showings are strong but offers are low, the price is in the neighborhood but the home needs a tweak; if showings have dried up, the price is likely off. Your broker tracks showing counts against days on market and will recommend an adjustment while it still helps.
How will you communicate showing activity and buyer feedback?
You hear about showings as they happen and get agent feedback summarized promptly, in writing, so the pattern is clear. Sharcom's brokers treat feedback as data: it tells us whether to adjust price, staging, or both. You should never have to wonder how your listing is performing.
Part Three
Offers and Negotiations
How do I know whether an offer is strong?
Look at the full terms, not just the price: financing type, earnest money, option period length, closing date, and contingencies. A cash or strongly financed offer at a fair price with a short option period often beats a higher number with risk attached. Your broker ranks offers by probability of closing, not just the headline.
Is the highest-priced offer always the best offer?
No. The highest price can come with a buyer who needs to sell their own home first, a low appraisal risk, or an aggressive inspection negotiation. A slightly lower offer with stronger financing and fewer contingencies can close faster and net you more. Evaluate every offer as a whole, with your broker.
Should I accept, reject or counter the offer?
That depends on your market and your goals. In multiple-offer situations, a counter with a deadline can create urgency; in a slower market, a reasonable offer deserves a reasonable reply fast. Your broker will show you the acceptance, counter, and rejection math for your specific situation.
How important is the buyer's financing?
Very. The strength of the loan behind the offer determines whether the deal actually closes. A preapproval from a reputable lender with a solid down payment and low debt ratio is worth far more than a thin prequalification. Ask your broker to walk you through what the buyer's loan file really says.
What is the difference between prequalification and preapproval?
Prequalification is a quick, unverified estimate of what a buyer might afford. Preapproval is a lender's written commitment based on verified income, credit, and assets. In a competitive market, preapproval is the letter that matters, and sellers should always ask which one backs an offer.
What are option money and earnest money?
Earnest money is a good-faith deposit held in escrow and credited toward the purchase; it protects the seller if the buyer walks outside the contract's protections. Option money is a separate Texas fee the buyer pays the seller for the right to terminate during the option period for almost any reason. The two serve different jobs and are clearly separated in the contract.
Should I accept an offer contingent on the buyer selling another home?
Only with eyes open. A sale contingency adds real risk and timeline uncertainty, because your closing now depends on a stranger's transaction. If you take one, ask for the strong version: the buyer's home already under contract, a firm closing date, and a shorter window for their sale to make.
How should I handle multiple offers?
Compare them on total terms, decide what you actually want, top price, fastest close, or fewest contingencies, and use your broker to run a clean, transparent process that keeps every buyer engaged. A well-run multiple-offer situation often produces a better final number and a better chance of closing.
Can I continue showing the property after accepting an offer?
You can, with the buyer's awareness and your contract's approval. In Texas, listing agents commonly keep marketing until the contract is solid, which builds a backup offer if the first one falls through. Your broker manages that balance so nobody feels misled.
What happens if the appraisal comes in below the sales price?
Then the buyer's lender will only lend against the appraised value, and the gap has to be filled: the buyer brings more cash, the seller reduces the price, or they split the difference. This is a negotiation point, not a deal-killer, and a good broker frames it before it becomes a crisis.
What seller concessions might a buyer request?
Common Texas concessions include help with closing costs, an interest-rate buydown, a home warranty, or a credit for repair items found in the inspection. Concessions cost you money but can be what makes a good offer close. Your broker will show you the net effect on your proceeds before you agree.
Can I contribute toward the buyer's closing costs or interest-rate buydown?
Yes, Texas contracts allow seller-paid costs and buydowns up to lender and program limits, and buyers frequently request them in higher-rate markets. The contribution comes out of your proceeds and should be weighed against the offer's other strengths. Your broker will run the net-proceeds math both ways.
Part Four
Inspections and Closing
What can buyers request after the inspection?
Anything the inspection report surfaces: repairs, credits, price adjustments, or additional specialist inspections. Safety issues and failed systems carry weight; cosmetic preferences carry less. Nothing is automatic, everything is negotiable, and the deadline lives inside your option period.
Am I required to make repairs?
Only the ones you contractually agreed to. During the option period buyers can request, but you can decline, and they can terminate or renegotiate. After the option period you owe only the repairs you have already agreed to in writing, so the negotiating window is the option period.
What defects must I disclose?
Texas sellers complete the Seller's Disclosure Notice covering the condition of the systems, and you must answer truthfully what you know, including past repairs, issues, and anything that affects value. Texas is a caveat emptor state in many respects, but disclosure law is real and enforced. When in doubt, disclose, and let your broker or attorney guide the wording.
What happens if the buyer terminates during the option period?
The buyer can terminate for almost any reason during the option period, keeps the earnest money, and you keep the option fee. The listing goes back on the market and you move on, often with useful feedback from the buyer's inspection. This is why pricing and condition matter: you want the first contract to be the one that closes.
Can a buyer cancel after the option period ends?
Only for specific contract-protected reasons, not buyer's remorse: financing default, appraisal problems under the contract's terms, title issues, or a seller breach. Outside those, earnest money is at risk, which is why the option period is the buyer's real decision window. Your broker should explain your contract's exact outs before it is signed.
What title issues could delay the sale?
Liens, unpaid taxes, easements, boundary discrepancies, or heirship questions can surface in the title search and must be cleared before closing. Many resolve quickly with paperwork; some need an attorney or a survey. The title company handles the search, and your broker and attorney help clear whatever comes up.
How much will I pay in closing costs?
Texas sellers typically see 5% to 6% of the price go to agent commissions, plus 1% to 3% more for title insurance, prorated taxes, and other closing items, and Texas has no state transfer tax. The exact number depends on your contract, your title policy, and your prorations. Your broker should give you an estimated net-proceeds statement before you commit.
What will my estimated net proceeds be?
Your broker prepares a net-proceeds estimate subtracting commission, title and closing costs, prorated taxes, and any concessions from the sale price, leaving your realistic check. Review it line by line before you sign anything. The estimate is a planning tool; the final number lands at closing when the title company runs the real figures.
When do I receive my money?
At closing, the title company handles the disbursement, and sellers typically receive net proceeds within a day or two of the closing date, often by wire or check. The exact timing follows state regulation and the title company's process. Ask your closer for the schedule so you can plan the move.
Do I have to attend closing in person?
Usually yes, but Texas closings can often be arranged with remote signing through the title company. The requirement depends on the title company and the contract. Your broker coordinates the logistics so signing day goes smoothly wherever you are.
When must I move out and give the buyer possession?
At the possession date written in your contract, which is typically the closing date but can be negotiated earlier or later. Leaving on time is a contract promise, and late delivery can cost you. If you need extra time, negotiate a written post-closing possession agreement, with rent terms, before closing.
Can I remain in the home temporarily after closing?
Only with a written agreement signed before closing, usually a temporary lease-back with a daily rate and deadlines. It protects you and the buyer and keeps the transaction clean. Never rely on a handshake for possession after closing.
Part Five
Working With a REALTOR®
What does the listing agreement include?
It sets the listing price, the commission, the term, the scope of your agent's duties, and how the agreement can be terminated. Everything that matters to how your home is marketed and sold lives in this one document. Read it with your broker and ask questions before you sign.
How long will the listing agreement last?
Typically three to six months in Texas, negotiated to fit your market and your situation. The term matters because the first marketing burst and the pricing strategy need time to work. Your broker should explain what happens if your situation changes mid-term.
How is the listing broker compensated?
Through a listing commission, a percentage of the sale price set in the listing agreement, split between the listing side and the buyer's side according to the offer and the MLS rules. Commission is fully negotiable in Texas, and the structure should be on the table in writing from day one.
Is the buyer's broker compensation negotiable?
Yes, it is negotiable, and how it is offered is part of the listing strategy. Offering the buyer's agent fair compensation widens the pool of agents who will show your home, which matters in competitive markets. Your broker should explain how the offer is structured and what it means for your net proceeds.
What services are included in your fee?
The full listing job: valuation, pricing strategy, preparation and staging guidance, professional media, portal and network marketing, showings and open houses, offer analysis, negotiation, contract management, and closing coordination through the keys. A Sharcom listing also includes broker-level oversight of the whole file. Ask any agent to write their service list into the agreement.
Why shouldn't I sell the property myself?
Because the market punishes mistakes: pricing, marketing, disclosure, and negotiation each carry a steep learning curve, and Texas paperwork carries real legal weight. A For Sale By Owner often nets less after price concessions and missteps than a professionally priced sale after commission. You are hiring years of experience, and the numbers usually show it.
How often will I receive updates?
At minimum weekly, with immediate updates on showings, offers, and feedback, plus a written summary you can follow. You should always know how many buyers have seen your home and what they thought. If updates are hard to get, that is a warning sign about the agent, not the market.
Can you help me purchase my next home while selling this one?
Yes, and it is one of the things Sharcom does best. We coordinate the two transactions so the sale proceeds fund the purchase, using strategies like the guaranteed cash offer or Trade-In to avoid a double mortgage. You do not have to choose between a good sale and a good purchase.
What happens if the home does not sell?
Then we look at the evidence together: pricing, condition, marketing coverage, and feedback. In most cases the answer is a price or presentation adjustment, and in some cases it is a different strategy entirely, including a guaranteed cash offer. A broker who has worked slow markets will have a plan, not a shrug.
Why should you choose me instead of another agent?
Because at Sharcom you get a broker on every file: Sharon Yeary, Associate Broker with eXp Realty, active daily in the Houston, Katy, and Dallas-Fort Worth markets, working with a hand-selected team. You get honest pricing, high-impact marketing, and someone who answers the phone. Interview several agents, ask for their plans and their numbers, and choose the one who earns it.
Talk to Sharon
Your home has its own answer. Let's find it together.
These are the general answers; your sale is specific. Sharon Yeary has priced and sold homes across Houston, Katy, and Dallas-Fort Worth, and a ten-minute conversation will tell you where your home fits in today's market.
Sharon Yeary
Associate Broker with eXp Realty
Texas real estate experience pricing and selling homes from Houston to Katy to the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs.
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