Seattle home seller's field guide
Timeline, when to list, prep, offers and your net.
The online companion to Brian Huie's printed field guide for selling in Seattle and the Eastside. For how Brian works with sellers, see Selling a home with Brian.
By Brian Huie, Principal Broker and Realtor, Compass · 300+ homes guided since 2015 · Reviews · Updated October 2026
Thinking about selling? Text Brian your timing and he will tell you where to start.
01
When should you start getting ready to sell your Seattle home?
Plan around how long the prep takes, not the date you want to sell. Six stages run from two years out to launch week.
When should you start getting ready to sell your Seattle home?
Plan around how long the prep takes, not the date you want to sell. Six stages run from two years out to launch week.
- 2+ yearsDo the projects you want
- 1 to 2 yearsRecords and good-weather work
- 6 to 12 monthsInspect and get bids
- 3 to 6 monthsFinish and edit the house
- 1 to 2 monthsMaintenance, repairs and clean
- 2 weeksStage, media and print
Prep countdown
Pick the month you hope to list. See which stage you are in today and when the next one starts.
What projects earn back at resale
In Seattle, smaller exterior projects recouped more than they cost, while large remodels and additions recouped a fraction. Do the big projects for the years you live with them.
| Project (Seattle, 2025) | Cost recouped |
|---|---|
| Steel entry door replacement | 157% |
| Garage door replacement | 123.3% |
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange | 118.1% |
| Bath remodel, midrange | 46.8% |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale | 38.7% |
| Primary suite addition, upscale | 15.9% |
Average resale value as a share of job cost. Source: Zonda / JLC 2025 Cost vs. Value, Seattle. Averages, not a prediction for any one home.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
02
What is the best month to list a house in Seattle?
April has paid Seattle sellers the most on average, but the right month is the one where your home shows best, your move lands on time and the competition is beatable.
What is the best month to list a house in Seattle?
April has paid Seattle sellers the most on average, but the right month is the one where your home shows best, your move lands on time and the competition is beatable.
Brian's call, month by month
Bars: average sale price as a share of original list price, City of Seattle houses, NWMLS 10-year averages by calendar month (Oct 2016 to Sep 2026); dashed line is list price. All six charts: Seattle Housing Market by Month. This month vs. normal: Market update.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
03
What should you fix, stage or skip before you list?
Fix what buyers notice first, stage what the camera sees, and save big remodels for the years you'll live with them.
What should you fix, stage or skip before you list?
Fix what buyers notice first, stage what the camera sees, and save big remodels for the years you'll live with them.
Compass Concierge
Brian's sellers can have eligible prep, from paint and flooring to repairs and staging, paid up front through Compass Concierge and repaid from the sale. How Concierge works, with a SeaTac case study.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
04
How is a list price set in Seattle?
The price is a plan, not a guess: matched recent sales, the homes you'll compete with this month, and how fast homes are going under contract.
How is a list price set in Seattle?
The price is a plan, not a guess: matched recent sales, the homes you'll compete with this month, and how fast homes are going under contract.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
05
What happens in the weeks before your home goes live?
Most of the work happens before buyers see the listing: staging, photos, video and a 3D tour, then one launch you only get once.
What happens in the weeks before your home goes live?
Most of the work happens before buyers see the listing: staging, photos, video and a 3D tour, then one launch you only get once.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
06
What is it like to live in a home that's for sale?
A ten-minute reset before each showing, open houses hosted by Brian's team with no sign-in sheet, and a weekly update page.
What is it like to live in a home that's for sale?
A ten-minute reset before each showing, open houses hosted by Brian's team with no sign-in sheet, and a weekly update page.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
07
How do offers work for Seattle sellers?
One fair process for every buyer, with offers compared on your net, financing strength and terms, not only the headline price.
How do offers work for Seattle sellers?
One fair process for every buyer, with offers compared on your net, financing strength and terms, not only the headline price.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
08
How much does it cost to sell a house in Seattle, and what will you net?
Change any number below. Excise tax uses Washington's 2026 state brackets plus the local rate. Broker rates shown are Washington survey averages, not Brian's fee.
How much does it cost to sell a house in Seattle, and what will you net?
Change any number below. Excise tax uses Washington's 2026 state brackets plus the local rate. Broker rates shown are Washington survey averages, not Brian's fee.
Estimated net to you
$0
| State excise tax | $0 |
| Local excise tax | $0 |
| Broker compensation | $0 |
| Prep and other fees | $0 |
| Loan payoff | $0 |
| Selling costs | $0 |
An estimate for planning, not tax or legal advice and not a prediction of your home's value. Brian's net sheet uses your actual payoff, quotes and agreed terms.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
09
How do you time your move, and what do you leave for the buyer?
The handoff list makes closing day simple. Buying your next home at the same time is planned on its own page.
How do you time your move, and what do you leave for the buyer?
The handoff list makes closing day simple. Buying your next home at the same time is planned on its own page.
Clients only
This chapter opens with the client password Brian shares with his sellers.
Seattle home selling terms
- First Look
- An optional NWMLS status, available since September 4, 2026, that markets a home for up to 21 days before it goes Active.
- Days Active
- NWMLS's name for days on market. It starts at zero when a listing goes Active.
- Form 17
- Washington's seller disclosure statement. It is due within five business days of mutual acceptance, and the buyer then has three business days to accept it or rescind.
- Pre-listing inspection
- A whole-house inspection the seller orders before listing. A Washington seller who obtained one must disclose it and provide it to buyers.
- Offer review date
- The day the seller reviews all offers at once, set in the listing.
- Escalation clause
- An addendum (NWMLS Form 35E) that raises a price above competing offers, up to a cap the buyer sets.
- Mutual acceptance
- The moment buyer and seller agree in writing. Contract deadlines count from here.
- Real estate excise tax
- Washington's tax on a sale, paid by the seller: graduated state rates plus a local rate, 0.50% in most King County cities.
- Compass Concierge
- A Compass program that can pay for eligible prep such as paint, flooring and staging. It is a loan with credit approval and possible fees, repaid at closing or within 12 months. How it works.
- Net sheet
- An estimate of what the seller keeps after the loan payoff, excise tax, broker compensation and closing fees.
- Sewer scope
- A camera inspection of the side sewer, the owner's pipe from the house to the street main.
- Recording
- The county entering the deed into public records. Recording is when the sale is complete.
Sources
- NWMLS 10-year averages by calendar month, City of Seattle houses (Oct 2016 to Sep 2026), charted on Be Home in Seattle
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, Seattle
- Washington Department of Revenue, real estate excise tax rates
- Washington Department of Revenue, local REET rates effective May 1, 2026
- Clever Real Estate, average commission in Washington, agent survey Aug. 2026
- Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.06.030, delivery of the seller disclosure statement
- Real Estate News, "Compass, NWMLS settle 16-month legal battle," Aug. 31, 2026 (First Look)
- Compass Concierge program terms
Ask Brian about your home and your timing.
"Don't just think about a deadline for when you want to sell. Think about how long it will take to prepare."BRIAN HUIE
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