How Long Does It Take to Sell and Close on a Baltimore Home?

How long does it take to sell and close on a Baltimore home? When the home is ready and priced well, offers can come quickly, and the closing date is negotiated as part of the terms in the contract, based on what the buyer and seller agree to.

I'm Eric Figurelle with the Figurelle Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors. I think of the timeline in three parts: the lead-up before you list, the offer, and the stretch from contract to settlement.

A well-priced home gets attention, and the plan is to build that attention before the home is active on the MLS. We announce it as "coming soon" while the prep and marketing wrap up. By the time it goes live, people already know about it, and showings are lined up from the first day.

The goal is an offer in the first week or two. I can't promise that, because it depends on the home, the price and the market. But a strong start does more than anything else to shorten the whole timeline.

A recent home of ours is a good example. Before it went active, it was updated, cleaned and staged. We had photos, a video and aerial photos done, and we promoted the home through our social media marketing and our network of agents and past clients.

We made showings simple to book, and we held an open house the first weekend. Offers came in right away, more than one. The home sold for more than the seller expected, and on the terms the seller wanted.

This is one home, not a promise. Every home and every market moment is different, so I'd plan yours from its own details.

Two things could slow a sale down once a home is under contract.

• HOA or condo documents ordered late. If your home is part of an association, the buyer needs the resale documents, and they take time to arrive. I ask for them right when we go under contract, so they aren't holding up settlement.
• Repairs that drift. After the buyer and seller agree on repairs, the work needs a plan and a date. Repairs that wait around can push the closing back.

Both are easy to manage when you know about them early.

The closing date is part of the negotiation. It has to work for both the buyer and the seller, so I look at it from both sides.

For the seller, the question is where you're going next. If you're buying another home, the dates have to line up. If you've already moved out and aren't waiting on another place, that's one less thing to coordinate.

For the buyer, it depends on when they need to be in the home or in the area. If they're selling a home to buy yours, that sale becomes part of the timeline too.

Every situation is a little different. I want to understand both plans first, so we can find the date that works for everyone.

• Listing before the prep is done. A strong first week depends on it. Here's how to prepare your Baltimore home before listing.
• Waiting to order HOA or condo documents. Ask early. Late documents can hold up a closing.
• Leaving repairs open-ended. Agree on who does what, and by when.
• Picking a closing date before knowing the buyer's plans. A date that fits both sides is smoother than one that fits only you.
• Not planning where you're going next. If you're buying too, the order of events changes everything. Here's how selling and buying at the same time works.

If you want to see how the money side works too, read how much it costs to sell a home in Baltimore. And here's how I find your price range. You can also read about Baltimore.

Tell me when you'd like to be moved, and I'll help you build a plan around that date. Contact me here.

About: Eric Figurelle is a REALTOR® and Team Leader of the Figurelle Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors in Baltimore, MD, helping buyers and sellers across the Baltimore Metro area make clear, well-planned moves, especially sellers managing a transition or a sale from a distance.