Seller's Guide
Chapter 1 of 9
Start here: selling a home in Monterey County
Selling a home is a big decision anywhere. Selling one in Monterey County comes with a few extra things to know, like city inspection reports, water rules on the Peninsula, fire zone paperwork, and micro-markets where two homes a few blocks apart can sell for very different prices.
This guide walks you through all of it, even if you've never sold a home before.
Who this guide is for
I wrote it for the sellers I work with most often:
- Homeowners selling for the first time, or for the first time in a long time.
- Families selling an inherited home or trust property, often from out of the area.
- Second-home owners selling a vacation home or rental here.
- People selling and buying at the same time, whether they're moving across town or out of the area.
If you already know how selling works in California, you can skip straight to the local chapters. If you're new to all of it, start at the beginning.
What's in the guide
Getting started
- Start here. You're reading it.
- How selling a home works, step by step. The whole process, from our first meeting to closing day.
Getting your home on the market
- Pricing your home. How pricing works here, why it's a range, and what overpricing really costs.
- Preparing your home to sell. What's worth doing, what usually isn't, staging, and photos.
- Disclosures and local requirements. What you have to disclose, city reports, the water fixture rule, and fire zone requirements.
Money
- What you'll walk away with. Net sheets, closing costs, commissions, and the tax questions to ask your CPA.
Making it happen
- Offers, escrow, and closing. Comparing offers, the buyer's deadlines, repair requests, and closing day.
Special situations
- Selling an inherited home or trust property. Trust and probate sales, disclosures, taxes, and selling from out of the area.
- Selling and buying at the same time. Contingent offers, selling first or buying first, and lining up two escrows.
Where to start
- Never sold a home before? Read Chapter 2 first, then Chapters 3 and 6.
- Inherited a home or handling a trust? Start with Chapter 8, then Chapter 5.
- Selling a second home or rental? Read Chapter 6 first. The tax side is where second homes differ most.
- Selling and buying? Start with Chapter 9.
- Just want to know what your home is worth? Read Chapter 3, then reach out.
A few things to keep in mind
Rules change. Local reports, water rules, fire zone requirements, and tax rules all change over time. Each chapter shows when it was last checked, and I update them as things change. For your specific home, always confirm with the city, county, or agency involved.
This isn't legal or tax advice. I'm a real estate agent, not a lawyer or a CPA. This guide explains how things generally work. For your own situation, talk to the right professional.
Every home is different. Not everything in this guide will apply to your sale. Most of it only matters if it touches your home or your situation.
How I work with sellers
I'm a Realtor with the Monterey Peninsula Home Team at Keller Williams Coastal Estates, and I work with sellers all over Monterey County.
A few things we do with every seller: I come see your home before I give you a price, then come back with a price range and a net sheet so you know what you'll walk away with. We go through the listing agreement and your disclosures together, page by page. We order and schedule your reports and inspections for you, and I give you an escrow timeline with every date on it. If you're out of the area, we help line up the vendors you need. I also work in both English and Spanish.
If you have questions about anything in this guide, or you're thinking about selling, reach out. I'm happy to help, even if you're just starting to think about it.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules and conditions change, and every property and transaction is different. Confirm the details for your situation with the appropriate professionals and agencies.