Seller FAQs

What You Need to Know


Now that you’ve decided to put your home on the market, it’s only natural to have a few questions. You might be wondering about how to increase the value of your home, or how to avoid common missteps in your home search. The real estate market is always changing. Whether you've sold several homes in your life, or it's your first time putting your house on the market, we have answers for you.

Why should I use a Mainstreet REALTOR® to sell my home?


A Mainstreet REALTOR® is a licensed real estate professional belonging to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). NAR is a real estate trade association that requires all of its members to follow a 17-article Code of Ethics. This means that your REALTOR® is required to have your best interests in mind.


Your REALTOR® will help you set the right price for your home, reach potential buyers and help you negotiate the sale. Your REALTOR® will also help with staging your home and adding curb appeal. They will make sure that you feel supported every step of the way and ensure you receive the best deal.

Couple reviewing documents with a REALTOR

When is the best time of year to sell?


This varies depending on the housing market. In general, house hunting typically picks up in the warmer months of the year, making it a great time for sellers to list their homes. In the colder months, it’s typically a buyer’s market. This can vary by city and even neighborhood, and over the past few years demand remained high even in the winters. Ask your Mainstreet REALTOR® what they recommend based on local conditions.

When should I put my home on the market if I'm looking to buy a new home?


Trying to buy and sell a home at the same time can be a careful balancing act. There are different arguments to be made about whether you should search for a new home before selling your home or sell your home first. The truth is, it depends on your circumstance and whether it's a buyer or seller's market. In a buyer's market, there will be more houses on the market than there are buyers. A seller's market is the opposite. Your Mainstreet REALTOR® can advise you on what makes sense in your area at any given time.


If you need to hold onto your home a little bit longer after selling, you can enter a rent-back agreement with your buyer. This gives you some wiggle room to move into your new house later and pay rent to the owner of your current home.

What should I expect when I put my house on the market?


Once your home has been listed, the best piece of advice is to have realistic expectations. Keep an open line of communication with your Mainstreet REALTOR® and be patient. Your REALTOR® will handle the marketing for your home and guide you through the process of showing your home. They will also help you with the negotiation process and make sure your home closing goes as smoothly as possible.

Why should I stage my home?


Home staging, or arranging the home to look its best, can help potential buyers envision themselves in your home and could decrease the time your home is on the market.


While there are tweaks you can make around your home yourself with advice from your Mainstreet REALTOR®, work with a professional home stager to get the best results. Your REALTOR® can refer you to a home staging expert who can use their interior design skills to style your home.


You may have heard that unstaged homes could still receive multiple offers during the seller’s market of the last few years. But the market has shifted, and staging your home is vital if you want to receive the best offer possible.

How can I add curb appeal to my home?


When you're selling a home, you want potential buyers to fall in love from the moment they see your house from the street. If your home is a little older, consider adding a fresh coat of paint or freshening up how your street number is displayed. Make sure your driveway and any front steps or a front path are in good repair. It also helps to add some greenery outside your home. If you have a garden, make sure your plants look good in the season when buyers will be viewing your home.

Are there any safety tips I should keep in mind when putting my home on the market?


Opening your home up to strangers naturally raises some safety concerns, especially for new homesellers. While your Mainstreet REALTOR® will help protect you from these risks, we recommend:


  • Never give home tours by yourself. A REALTOR® should always be present.
  • Hide valuables and all electronics prior to any home visits or open houses.
  • Remove mail, bills, and personal checks from places where they can be seen by those touring your home.
  • Take stock of the state of your home after an open house to make sure everything is locked and in place.

What are some common home selling mistakes I should be aware of?


Sellers who don't work with REALTORS® open themselves up to a few common mistakes when putting their home on the market. One mistake homeowners make is choosing to host an open house by themselves. Not only is inviting strangers into your home alone a major safety concern, it is very possible those touring your home may not be legitimate buyers. Working with a Mainstreet REALTOR® allows you to screen potential candidates before they enter your home, giving you the best chance of selling quickly.


Another mistake many sellers make occurs during the pricing, negotiation, and closing stage. Some sellers price their home without consulting anyone first. This means you could be pricing yourself too low and losing money on the deal. A REALTOR® works with you on pricing, marketing, and negotiating with the buyer to save you money and give you peace of mind.

What do I need to know about changes to home buying as a result of the recent NAR settlement?


There is a great deal of misinformation about the NAR settlement and its impact on local real estate consumers, so please proceed with caution when turning to the media or real estate influencers for updates. Instead, we recommend visiting this FAQ page for more information.

Keep the Presents Safe: Holiday Scam Prevention Strategies

By Wesley Rusick • November 24, 2025
Imagine a holiday season with zero presents because someone emptied your bank account in the blink of an eye. Which means you can also say goodbye to that mortgage payment.

Chicagoland Housing Market Holds Steady Amid Economic Uncertainty

By Amy Robey • November 18, 2025
Chicagoland home sales remained relatively steady in October 2025, even as consumers across the country experienced increased economic uncertainty. Detached home sales increased 0.4% in October 2025 as compared to the same month last year. At the same time, detached homes under contract increased 3%, indicating a possible lift in sales activity in the months ahead. This stability in the housing market may come as a surprise given 2025’s economic volatility, and supporting data from Pew Research Center showing 3 in 10 U.S. adults say they expect the financial situation for themselves and their families to be worse a year from now. The local housing market’s stability indicates, however, that many Chicagoland consumers see homeownership as a smart financial decision regardless of the state of the economy. “The economy will always have ups and downs but savvy Chicagoland consumers realize that owning a home and building equity is always a smart financial decision, regardless of the economic climate,” said Kinga Korpacz, president of Mainstreet REALTORS®. “The sooner you can get started the better, and that means not waiting for more economic stability to buy.” The 3% increase in homes under contract in Chicagoland in October is another indicator of continued confidence among Chicagoland homebuyers but it remains to be seen whether that increase will translate to a lift in closed sales. “Certainly, anecdotally, we’re hearing about buyers who are making offers and getting cold feet given the state of the economy,” said John Gormley, CEO of Mainstreet REALTORS®. “But when people have life or family situations that mean they need to move, it outweighs the uncertainty in the economy and many buyers are able to look past it and remember that a home is always a smart investment. In Chicagoland, buyers are becoming a bit immune to the news cycle and looking inward to make the right financial decisions for themselves and their families.” While detached home sales and homes under contract increased in October 2025, average time on the market increased 10.5% as compared to October 2024. “Slower market times indicate buyers are taking their time and making more deliberate decisions versus rushing to buy,” said Korpacz. “This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially in a market with as much hyperlocal variability as Chicagoland. It means buyers can take their time to ask for expert advice from a Mainstreet REALTOR® about what is going on in the specific community where they want to buy and make a smart long-term decision.” Buyers had more flexibility to move at their own pace in October 2025 than earlier this year as the average months’ supply for homes in the Chicagoland primary metro statistical area (PMSA) increased to 2.1 months, up from 1.7 months in January 2025. “In a market like this one, it’s critical to take the time to do your due diligence with a Mainstreet REALTOR®, who can help you with everything from understanding hyperlocal market data to finding programs that provide downpayment assistance and improve housing affordability,” said Korpacz. “A home is one of the best investments you can make in any economy, as long as you are guided by expert advice and data to make a decision that is right for you and your family.” Several suburban communities saw especially significant increases in homes under contract in October 2025, making them areas to watch as we see whether that trend impacts closed sales in the months to come. Notable increases included: Berkeley: under contract homes up 166.7% in October 2025 vs. October 2024 Broadview: 133.3% Calumet Park: 150% Inverness: 150% Itasca: 225% LaGrange Highlands: 300% Lynwood: 133.3% Monee: 250% Mundelein: 105.9% North Aurora: 230% Palos Hills: 120% Get in touch with a Mainstreet REALTOR® for hyperlocal data and insights into programs that can help you get into a home affordably, even in today’s uncertain economy.
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