20 Steps to Selling Your Home in the Sioux Falls Area
Selling a home in the Sioux Falls area follows a clear sequence: decide, prepare, price, market, show, negotiate, and close. This guide lays out all 20 steps in order, from setting your goals to handing over the keys, so you know what happens and when. Every home and every market is different, and I will flag where the timing and details vary. I am Jennifer Krosch, a Realtor with eXp Realty, and this is the process I run with sellers across the metro.
Last reviewed: September 30, 2026
A clean, well-staged home photographs and shows better
Decide you're selling and set goals
Start with the why: a job move, a growing family, an empty nest, or a fresh start. Set your goals for the sale, including your ideal timeline, the price range you need, and what the proceeds have to accomplish. Every decision after this one should serve those goals.
Review your mortgage payoff and finances with your lender
Ask your lender for your payoff amount and your current equity position. A clear picture of what you owe, what you will net, and what you can afford next keeps the whole process grounded. If you are buying another home, bring your lender in now so both sides of the calendar line up.
Interview and choose your listing agent
Talk to a few agents and compare more than personality: local market knowledge, recent sales in your area, a concrete marketing plan, and how they will communicate. Ask what they will do for the compensation agreed, and choose the one who earns your trust, not just the highest estimate.
Get a comparative market analysis and understand pricing
A comparative market analysis compares your home to recent sales, active listings, and expired listings in your area, adjusted for condition, size, and lot. Pricing is a strategy, not a guess: a well-priced home earns more showings and usually stronger offers, while an overpriced home tends to sit and later cuts rarely recover the momentum.
Order a pre-listing home inspection
A pre-listing inspection is optional, but it is one of the smartest steps a seller can take. It surfaces issues before the buyer's inspector does, so you can fix problems on your own schedule, price them in, or disclose them accurately. My construction background helps you read the report and separate must-fix items from nice-to-haves.
Complete high-impact repairs and touch-ups
Fix what buyers will notice and what the disclosure requires you to reveal: worn paint, dripping fixtures, cracked caulk, sticking doors, and anything that looks like deferred maintenance. Prioritize safety and function first, then cosmetics. I can help you decide which projects earn their keep and which are not worth the money.
Declutter and depersonalize
Remove excess furniture, clear the counters, and take down family photos and personal collections. The goal is a home buyers can picture as their own. Decluttering also makes rooms look bigger and photographs better, and it is the cheapest staging you will ever do.
Deep clean every room
A deep clean is different from a weekly tidy: windows inside and out, floors, baseboards, kitchen cabinets, appliances, bathrooms, and carpets. Clean sells. Buyers notice a fresh-smelling, spotless home, and it signals that the house has been cared for.
Stage the home so buyers can picture it
Staging arranges furniture, light, and space so each room shows its best purpose. You do not need a professional stager for every home: edited furniture, neutral touches, and good lighting go a long way. Highlight the best room, define each space, and let the house feel move-in ready.
Take professional photos and, for eligible listings, a walkthrough video
Most buyers decide online first, so professional photos, accurate details, and a clear floor plan do the heavy lifting. For eligible listings, a walkthrough video lets remote and relocating buyers see the flow of the home before they ever book a showing.
Build the marketing plan: MLS, online portals, social, and signage
Your listing goes on the MLS, which syndicates to the major online portals, and my marketing adds social channels, my buyer network, and a yard sign. A good plan gets the home in front of the right buyers fast, and a clear schedule of showings follows.
Complete the seller's disclosure accurately
In South Dakota, sellers complete a seller's property condition disclosure, and the honest approach is to answer it completely and accurately. It is your written statement of what you know about the property, not a warranty and not a substitute for the buyer's inspection. When in doubt, disclose: it protects you and keeps the sale on track.
Prepare for showings and open houses
Build a showing routine: beds made, counters clear, lights on, pets handled, and the home ready on short notice. Flexible showing times widen your buyer pool, and a consistently ready home turns more showings into offers. Feedback after each showing helps you adjust as you go.
Review offers with your agent
The highest number is not always the best offer. Compare financing strength, contingencies, requested concessions, earnest money, and closing dates side by side. I lay offers out on price, terms, risk, and timing so the decision is confident, not just big.
Negotiate price and terms
Negotiation covers price, closing dates, contingencies, repairs, and concessions, and it is grounded in facts: the market data, the inspection findings, and the home's real condition. My construction background helps me defend the value of the home with specifics, not opinions.
Accept an offer and understand contingencies and deadlines
When you accept, the purchase agreement sets the contingencies, the deadlines, and the closing date. Common contingencies cover financing, inspection, appraisal, and sometimes the sale of the buyer's own home. Know what each one means and what happens if it is not met before you sign.
The buyer's appraisal
If the buyer is financing, the lender orders an appraisal comparing the home's value to the contract price. The appraisal is about the property and the market, not about you. If it comes in below the contract price, we negotiate from there using the data.
The buyer's inspection and any follow-up requests
The buyer's inspection is their chance to evaluate the home, and the report usually leads to a request for repairs, credits, or a price adjustment. Respond thoughtfully: separate legitimate findings from nitpicks, and let the home's real condition ground the conversation in facts.
Title work and closing preparation
Closings in South Dakota commonly run through title companies, which handle the title work, the settlement statement, and the transfer of funds and documents. A sale typically closes roughly 30 to 45 days after the accepted offer depending on the contract, but that timing varies. You will review the settlement statement line by line before signing.
Close, hand over the keys, and wrap up the move
Closing day is when you sign the final documents, the funds are distributed, and the keys change hands. Coordinate your move-out with the closing date, leave the home in the condition the agreement requires, and then enjoy the next chapter. The process is complete, and you can move forward.
Pricing and timing start with current market data.
Median price, days on market, and months of supply shift month to month, so expectations should start from current data, not memory. The Market Report page tracks the latest numbers for the region, and the Selling Guide walks through the full process in more depth, from pricing strategy to seller expenses and net proceeds.
My construction background means I can also help you read your home's condition honestly: what to fix, what to disclose, and what to leave alone. That combination of market data and a builder's eye is what makes the 20 steps above run smoothly.
Jennifer Krosch · eXp Realty · License #21816
Selling your home: common questions.
Short answers to the questions sellers ask most, matching the steps above.
How long does it take to sell a home in the Sioux Falls area?
It depends on the market and the home. Current days-on-market data for the region is on the Market Report page, and a well-priced, well-prepared home generally attracts showings and offers faster than one that sits. After an offer is accepted, a typical closing runs roughly 30 to 45 days depending on the contract.
What are the steps to selling a house?
The process runs in order: decide and set goals, review your finances, choose your listing agent, price with a market analysis, prepare the home, market it, show it, review and negotiate offers, and close. This guide walks through all 20 steps from the decision to sell to handing over the keys.
What does it cost to sell a home?
Costs vary and are negotiated, so there is no single number. Typical seller costs can include real estate compensation, closing and title fees, prorated taxes, and the South Dakota transfer fee, and your listing agreement sets the terms. Ask your agent for an estimated net-proceeds worksheet before you list.
Do I need a real estate agent to sell my home?
You can sell without one, but an agent brings pricing data, marketing, showings, negotiation, and the paperwork experience that most sellers find worth it. The choice is yours, and a good listing agent should be able to explain exactly what they do for the compensation agreed.
What is a listing agreement?
A listing agreement is the contract between you and your agent that authorizes them to market and sell your home. It sets the listing price, the listing period, and the compensation and service terms, which are negotiable. Read it before you sign and ask about anything you do not understand.
What happens after I accept an offer?
After acceptance, the buyer's financing, appraisal, and inspection steps run on the deadlines in the purchase agreement. Negotiations may follow the inspection, then title work and closing preparation happen through the title company. You review the settlement statement before signing and hand over the keys at closing.
More reading? Browse the blog for seller articles and market updates, or visit the full FAQ.
This guide is for general information and education only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
Ready to sell your home in the Sioux Falls area?
Let's walk through it together. Search the latest homes across the Sioux Falls metro, book a no-pressure consultation, or just give me a call. I'll help you price, prepare, and market your home so you can move on to your next chapter with confidence.
Jennifer Krosch, Realtor · eXp Realty · License #21816 · Realtors of the Sioux Empire