What happens at a listing appointment?

A listing appointment is the meeting where you and your agent walk through your home, talk about price, and lay out the plan to sell it. With Team Sordelet, it's one relaxed visit at your home with me, usually 30 to 60 minutes (about an hour on average), depending on your home and how many questions you have. You'll leave knowing what your home is likely to sell for, what's worth fixing (and what isn't), how it will be marketed, and when it can go live. Most homes are on the market about a week after the paperwork is signed.

This page tells you what to expect and what to have ready, so we can use our time together on the decisions that matter.

What we'll cover together

  1. Your goals and timeline. Why you're moving, where you're headed, and when you need to be there. If you're buying too, we'll talk about the order.

  2. A room-by-room walkthrough. We walk the house together, inside and out. I'll point out what's worth doing before photos, what to leave alone, and what's better handled with price. You don't spend a dollar until we've walked it.

  3. Pricing. I'll bring a comparative market analysis with recent sales, active competition, and pending sales near you, and we'll land on a pricing strategy together.

  4. The marketing plan. Exactly how your home will be photographed, filmed, launched, and shown.

  5. Paperwork, if you're ready. If the plan makes sense, we can sign the listing agreement that day. If you need time, that's fine too.

Don't deep-clean for this meeting. I want to see the house the way you live in it. Tidy is plenty. The real prep comes before Media Day, and we'll plan it together.

What to have ready for your listing appointment

1. The seller's disclosure

In Delaware, state law requires the seller's property disclosure to be completed before you sign the listing agreement, and updated if anything changes before settlement. Filling it out ahead of time saves us a lot of time at the table.

Delaware sellers must also tell buyers about any known radon and share any radon test results they have. If you've tested, have the results handy.

In Maryland, sellers provide either a disclosure statement or a disclaimer statement before a contract is signed. Even with a disclaimer, you must disclose known latent defects. We'll review which fits your situation. You'll also receive Maryland's required agency disclosure explaining whom real estate agents represent.

If your Maryland home was built before 1978 or has a private well, there are additional Maryland lead and well forms. We'll provide those at your appointment.

Federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978. Every seller should mark the home's age on the form (built before 1978, built after 1978, or uncertain). If it was built before 1978 or you're not sure, complete the rest of the disclosure. We'll provide the lead-based paint form at your appointment, or you can review the federal sample form now:

Answer what you know, honestly. If you're not sure about something, write "unknown" and we'll talk about it. Disclosing early always costs less than a buyer discovering it later.

2. Your numbers

  • Mortgage lender and approximate balance, plus any home equity line or second mortgage

  • Your most recent property tax bill

  • HOA or condo association name, dues, and management company contact, if you have one

3. Your home's story

  • Updates and improvements: what was done and when. Our Home Updates & Improvements Summary (PDF) makes this easy, and you'll reuse it for the appraiser.

  • Average monthly utility costs for electric, gas or oil, water and sewer

  • Warranties and manuals for the roof, HVAC, appliances, and windows

  • Keys, garage remotes, and alarm or gate codes (we'll need them for showings)

4. Your questions

Write them down as you think of them. No question is too small.

Your free seller preparation kit

How we market your home

  • Professional photography and a floor plan in every listing. More than half of buyers say floor plans are very useful, and most listings still leave them out.

  • Video, a 3D tour, and drone photography so out-of-area buyers can tour your home from their phone.

  • A YouTube property video, plus short clips cut from it for social media.

  • A staging consultation during our walkthrough, so you know exactly what to do before Media Day.

  • A Coming Soon launch in Bright MLS, so agents and their buyers know your home is about to hit the market before it goes active.

  • A listing description written with searchable facts, the details buyers and AI-powered search tools actually look for.

  • The Real Broker network. As part of Real REMAX Group, your listing reaches agents who are already working with buyers relocating to Delaware and Maryland.

Read more about how we sell homes in Delaware, including what we won't claim.

From signing to live in about a week

  1. Day 1: Sign and plan. We set your Media Day and your prep list.

  2. Days 2–5: Prep. You work through the Media Day Ready checklist. We line up the photographer, videographer, and any help you need.

  3. Media Day. I arrive before the crew, walk the house one more time, and fix the last details before we shoot.

  4. Coming Soon, then live. Your home launches with the full photo, video, and floor plan package.

Homes that need more prep take a little longer. We'd rather launch it right than launch it fast.

After your home is on the market

  • A weekly seller report with online views, showings, and activity.

  • Showing feedback from buyers' agents, passed along as it comes in.

  • Planned price and strategy reviews at set points, based on what the market is telling us, not guesswork.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a listing appointment take?

Usually 30 to 60 minutes with Team Sordelet, about an hour on average, depending on the size of your home and how many questions you have. It covers your goals, a walkthrough, pricing, the marketing plan, and paperwork if you're ready.

What documents do I need to sell my house in Delaware?

The Delaware Seller's Disclosure of Real Property Condition Report, the Delaware Radon Disclosure, and the lead-based paint disclosure (every seller marks the home's age; homes built before 1978 or of uncertain age complete the full form), plus your mortgage and property tax information, any HOA details, and a list of updates and improvements.

Do I have to fill out the seller's disclosure before listing in Delaware?

Yes. Delaware law requires the seller's disclosure to be completed in writing before the seller signs the listing agreement, and updated if anything material changes before settlement. Some transfers, such as certain estate and court-ordered sales, are exempt.

Should I clean my house before the listing appointment?

Tidy is enough. Your agent needs to see the home as it is to give you honest advice. Save the deep clean for the days before your listing photos.

Do I have to sign the listing agreement at the appointment?

No. If you're ready, we can sign that day. If you want time to think it over, that's completely fine.

How soon can my home be on the market?

Usually about a week after signing, depending on how much preparation the home needs before photos.

What does it cost to sell a house in Delaware?

Agent commission, Delaware's realty transfer tax, and closing costs typically add up to several percent of the sale price. Here's the full breakdown of seller closing costs in Delaware.

Ready to schedule your listing appointment?

Call or text my cell at (302) 613-4228, call the office at (302) 566-7215, or start with your free Home Equity Report at search.teamsordelet.com/seller. We serve sellers in Newark, Wilmington, Middletown, Bear, Dover, and across New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties, plus Cecil and Kent Counties in Maryland.

Sources

David Sordelet, Designated Broker, Team Sordelet of Real Broker, LLC. License RB-0031238-DE / 5013138-MD. General information only, not legal advice.