Most people know they should hire a Realtor to buy or sell a home. Far fewer know what actually happens after they make that first call. What do you sign? Who pays for what? How long does it take? And what is your agent doing behind the scenes while you wait?
I'm Erika Frey, a Realtor with W Real Estate serving Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Windsor, Sebastopol, and the Russian River Valley. Below, I'll walk you through exactly how hiring me works, step by step, whether you're selling, buying, or both.
The Short Answer
Hiring a Realtor starts with a conversation, not a contract. For sellers, that conversation leads to a home visit, a pricing discussion, a marketing plan, and a listing agreement. For Buyers, it leads to a consultation, a lender introduction, and a buyer agreement. From there, your agent manages the details all the way to closing day.
Here's what each step looks like in real life.
How Hiring a Realtor Works When You're Selling
Step 1: The Initial Consultation
Our first conversation is all about you. I'll ask why you're deciding to sell, where you're going next, what your timeline looks like, and what you expect from the process.
If you're moving out of the area, I'll also help connect you with a trusted Realtor where you're headed, so you're taken care of on both ends.
f your move involves selling your current home and buying your next one in Sonoma County, we’ll also talk through how to coordinate the timing so you have a clear plan for both.
Step 2: Homework Before I Visit
Before I come to your home, I'll ask you to tell me everything you've done to the house since you've lived there: renovations, upgrades, a new roof, new systems, anything.
I'll also ask you to gather warranties and receipts. That way we can talk in real terms about what those improvements are worth in today's market. A new roof, for example, changes your home's value and changes which homes are truly comparable to yours. Having this information up front lets me pull comps that actually reflect your house, not just your zip code.
Step 3: The In-Home Consultation
When I arrive, we'll start with a quick walk through the house so you can show me what you've done. Then we'll sit down together and I'll walk you through my Listing Launch, the full marketing plan I'll use for your home.
This is where I show you what actually works in today's market: my SEO strategy, the behind-the-scenes marketing most agents don't do, and how I get as many buyers' eyes on your property as possible.
I'll also share what I'd suggest to get your home ready for sale, such as decluttering, painting, and fixing anything that needs attention. We'll talk about pre-inspections, which I can line up for you, and whether staging makes sense. You'll keep my listing packet, which spells out everything I recommend.
Step 4: Talking About Price
I'll ask what you think your home is worth and what you're hoping for first. Then, if it's appropriate, I'll share my opinion of value based on the comps and what I've seen in the house.
Sometimes I'll tell you I can't give you a number on the spot because I need to do more research. Pricing is always property specific, and I'd rather take an extra day than give you a guess.
Step 5: Signing the Listing Agreement
If you decide to hire me, we'll sign a listing agreement. Mine typically run six months to one year, depending on how much marketing your home will need and the average days on market in your area.
From Listing Agreement to Live on the Market
Once we've signed, I can move as fast as you'd like. If your home is ready, we can be on the market within a few days. If we're doing everything I recommend, it may take a few weeks. Here's the typical order.
Inspections and Repairs
We'll decide whether to do pre-inspections, and I'll order them. Sellers pay the inspectors directly. Once the reports are in, we'll decide together what's worth fixing, and I'll coordinate the vendors.
Disclosures
After repairs are done, you'll complete and sign your disclosures. I'll go over each one with you so you understand what you're signing. Then I put together a complete disclosure packet that's easy for buyers' agents to download.
Staging and Pricing
Before we launch, we'll decide whether staging is needed, especially for a vacant home, and finalize the list price.
Photography and Media
I'll schedule professional photography, drone photography, video, and a 3D tour if we decide to include one. These take just a few days to process.
Pre-Marketing
While media is being finished, I start building buzz. I promote the home as coming soon on local Facebook marketplace groups and share it with agents in my brokerage at office meetings and through our in-house MLS.
Sign, Lockbox, and Keys
If you agree, a sign goes up in the yard and a lockbox goes on the front door. I'll have copies made of any keys you give me.
Launch Weekend
On the go-live date, your home hits the market with a full weekend of open houses, and often a second weekend too. I also hold a broker tour so other Realtors can preview the home and give me their opinion of price.
Showing Schedule
We'll set showing rules that work for you, whether you need 24 hours' notice or are comfortable with short-notice showings. If the home is vacant, we can decide whether agents can show it without setting appointments.
What the Seller Does vs. What I Do
My listing approach is white glove service. Your job as the seller is simple:
- Keep the house ready for showings
- Allow showings when proper notice is given
- Disclose everything you know about the home
My job is everything else:
- Scheduling inspections and vendors, and being there for them
- Putting together the disclosure packet
- Running the marketing and the Listing Launch
- Knowing your house inside and out
- Guiding you through every step
From Offers to Closing
How I Review Offers
When an offer comes in, I'll put it into a seller net sheet so you can see what it means for you in plain language, without the legal jargon.
You'll naturally focus on the price. I'll be looking just as closely at the buyer's "buyability," meaning how likely they are to actually close. For example:
- Is this a first-time buyer using an FHA loan with very little down?
- Is it a cash buyer, and have they provided proof of funds?
- Is it a conventional loan, and do they need to sell their own home first?
I'll also look closely at contingencies. If you've already done pre-inspections and a buyer still asks for a full two weeks of inspections, that's a red flag worth addressing with their agent. Often we can negotiate those contingency periods down if the buyer isn't really planning more inspections.
A very short escrow paired with a standard loan can be a red flag too, because lenders frequently need more time than buyers expect.
Negotiations are often where the right Realtor’s value becomes clear—and where the question “Is a Realtor Worth the Cost?” gets answered.
How Escrow Works
Once you accept an offer, we open escrow. Buyers often request a specific escrow company. If it's reputable, we'll usually agree. If it's one I know from experience can be problematic, we'll counter, since I've worked with most escrow companies in Sonoma County.
The clock starts the day after the offer is accepted. On a 30-day escrow, that next day is day one, and the buyers are expected to close on day 30.
During escrow, the seller is required to:
- Allow the buyers' inspections, and vacate the property while they happen
- Allow the buyers to visit the home with proper notice
- Allow the appraiser in if the buyer has a loan
If inspections turn something up, the buyer may ask for repairs. You don't have to say yes. We'll negotiate it together.
Expect a Bump or Two
I tell every client the same thing: nothing in real estate goes completely perfectly. Lenders run behind. A buyer's own home sale gets delayed. An appraisal comes in low. The right agent anticipates these issues and finds creative solutions.
When the Appraisal Comes in Low
In one transaction, the appraisal came in below the agreed price. The buyer was a first-time homebuyer who could only qualify for a loan at the appraised value and couldn't cover the difference in cash. The price was renegotiated down to the appraisal. This is exactly why I look so carefully at a buyer's financing when an offer first comes in.
When the Buyer Causes Delays
In another escrow, I represented the seller, and the buyers needed to sell their own home first. Their buyer kept delaying, which delayed us. On my seller's behalf, I issued a notice to perform. The buyers didn't want to lose the house, so they offered to pay a $100-per-day penalty through escrow for every day of delay. It ended up being about 12 days, which put an extra $1,200 in my seller's pocket and kept the deal together.
How Hiring a Realtor Works When You're Buying
Buying Calls for a Different Kind of Agent
When you're selling, you want a marketing expert and a strong negotiator. When you're buying, you still want a skilled negotiator, but you also want someone with patience. Someone who's genuinely excited to look at homes with you, never makes you feel rushed, and helps you feel confident about the home you choose. Patience is everything when you're buying, and your agent should bring plenty of it.
Step 1: The Buyer Consultation
Our first conversation usually happens over the phone. We'll talk about what's bringing you into the market now, what you need, and the features you want in your next home.
The last thing we'll cover is your buyability. Are you paying cash or getting a loan? Have you talked to a lender? Are you fully pre-approved, or haven't you started the application yet?
Step 2: Choosing the Right Lender
Who your lender is matters more than many buyers realize. In Sonoma County, listing agents tend to trust local lenders over large online institutions, and that trust can make your offer stronger. Helping you find the right fit is part of our consultation, and if you need a lender, I'll introduce you to my trusted local team.
Step 3: Signing the Buyer Agreement
Next, we'll sign a buyer agreement. Mine are for three months. It's the document that establishes me as your fiduciary, meaning I'm legally obligated to act in your best interest.
It also explains how I'm paid. When we make an offer, we'll ask the seller to pay my commission. My goal is always for you not to come out of pocket for my compensation, and I'll walk you through your options if a seller won't cover it.
Step 4: Finding the Right Home
Once we're working together, I'll put your search out to my network, including private Facebook groups, office meetings, broker tours, and our private brokerage emails. I watch for homes that are on the market, coming soon, and ones that haven't hit the market yet.
Step 5: Writing a Winning Offer
The secret to a winning offer is understanding what the seller needs most, and a lot of agents miss this. Most sellers want their price, but they also care about timing and terms that make their lives easier.
The best way to find out is to pick up the phone and have a friendly conversation with the listing agent. Do the sellers need time to find their next home? Do they want to close as fast as possible? A good relationship with the listing agent gets you much further than a cold offer ever will.
At the same time, I'll protect you. If the seller has done inspections but missed something, I'll still recommend an inspection that covers it. I'll structure the contract so you have a way out until the point where you're fully committed to the purchase.
Closing Day
Just before closing, we'll do a final walkthrough to confirm the seller has completed everything agreed to, including repairs and clean-out.
You'll sign your closing documents with the title company, either at their office or with a mobile notary who comes to you. Once all parties have signed, escrow records the sale with the county, and you're officially a homeowner. I'll arrange for you to get your keys and access to your new home.
How We'll Communicate
During escrow, communication is constant. You'll have documents and disclosures to sign along the way, and I'll keep you updated throughout.
How we communicate is up to you. Some of my clients only want texts, some only want phone calls, and some prefer to sign everything in person. Tell me what works for you and I'll adjust.
What If It Isn't Working?
If Your Home Isn't Selling
I have had listings sit on the market, and in my experience it's almost always followed a major market shift, like a jump in interest rates. When that happens, you adjust. If buyers are scarce, I adapt the marketing to reach the buyers who are still out there. Spending more on marketing is worth it to me if it gets more people looking at your home.
If You're Not Happy With Your Agent
If a buyer isn't happy working with me, they're free to move on. My only request is that if they buy a home I showed them, they honor our agreement. Otherwise, you should work with whoever you feel best with. The right agent relationship should feel like a partnership, not an obligation.
The Bottom Line
Hiring a Realtor works best when you know what to expect. For sellers, that means a thoughtful consultation, honest pricing, a real marketing plan, and an agent who handles the details. For buyers, it means patience, smart financing, a fiduciary in your corner, and offers built around what sellers actually want. And for both, it means someone who solves problems before they cost you money.
If you're thinking about buying or selling in Sonoma County and want to see exactly how I'd handle your move, I'd love to talk. Reach out at realtorerikafrey.com or call me at 707-888-0212.