The story
The goal
The client had purchased the home with CJ Norman about two years earlier. A change in family circumstances meant she no longer needed that much space and wanted to downsize. Her firm goal was to cover the mortgage payoff, commissions, and selling expenses without bringing additional money to closing.
The challenge
Neighborhood prices had not meaningfully increased since she bought, and some nearby homes were selling for less than they had two years earlier. That left a narrow margin between a realistic sale price and the amount she needed to walk away whole.
The approach
A seller net sheet guided every major decision. CJ and the client used it to evaluate pricing, offers, seller concessions, and inspection negotiations against her minimum financial requirement.
CJ reviewed recent comparable sales alongside active competing listings, including homes that were sitting without selling, so the price accounted for current competition rather than relying only on the previous six months of sales. The goal was to price competitively from the start, avoid unnecessary time on the market, and reduce the likelihood of a substantial price cut.
An offer arrived about one month after listing, above asking price with seller-paid closing costs. After subtracting that concession, the offer was still slightly above the asking price before other selling expenses.
The buyers' purchase depended on selling a commercial property, and that property's buyer had multiple contingencies. CJ reviewed the contingencies, potential exit provisions, and deadlines for final commitment to assess the likelihood of closing, and communicated the seller's financial limits upfront.
Because the seller would be taking her home off the market for a little over two months, the negotiated terms made the buyers' earnest money non-refundable if their commercial transaction fell through and prevented them from closing. This helped offset her holding costs, and all parties received regular updates on progress and deadlines.
The result
The home appraised at the contract price, and inspection negotiations were minor. The commercial property transaction was ready to close earlier than expected, so the buyers asked to move the home closing to the same day and the seller agreed. The home sold for slightly more than the client had paid two years earlier, despite the lack of neighborhood price growth. She met her primary goal of closing without bringing additional money to the table, finishing approximately $3,000 positive against her original purchase outlay before fully accounting for updates and ownership expenses.
“A sale soon after buying can depend on narrow financial margins. Current market comparisons, careful use of the seller net sheet, and negotiated contingency protections helped this client move forward within her financial limits.”Selling a home on Norman-Homes.com