Getting Ready to List Your Home? Here’s Exactly What Happens Next

Hi, I’m Amber Johnson—owner and associate broker of Pillar Real Estate—and today I’m answering one of the most common questions I hear from local homeowners:
"What do we need to do to get our home on the market?"

It’s a great question, and the answer might be simpler than you think. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what to expect when you list your home with us:

Step 1: Prep Like a Pro

Before we ever go live on the MLS, it’s critical that your home is show-ready. That means clean, decluttered, and camera-ready.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out our pre-listing videos for tips on what to fix, tweak, or tidy up before we bring in our photographers. (And don’t worry—I’ll guide you through this part.)

Step 2: Let’s Make It Picture-Perfect

Once your home is prepped, we schedule professional photography and videography to capture your home’s best features. We don’t do iPhone pics or cut corners here—these assets are the first impression buyers will see online.

And in a world where buyers start their home search on the internet? First impressions matter.

Step 3: Sign the Paperwork

Once you decide to work with us, we’ll go over the listing agreement and get everything signed. Then, the real marketing magic begins.

Step 4: Maximize Your Exposure (Way Beyond the MLS)

We don’t just list and cross our fingers.

Here’s what we do:
✅ Run targeted paid ads across multiple platforms (not just post on a Facebook page)
✅ Enhance your listing on major sites like Zillow and Realtor.com
✅ Use data-driven strategies to reach the right buyers, not just anyone

Fun fact: If you’re just posting your home on a business page without a paid strategy behind it, you're likely missing 97% of the traffic you could be getting. Yeah... it’s that big of a deal.

Step 5: Disclosures, Inspections & Transparency

This is where we lay the groundwork for a smooth transaction. We’ll help you complete your disclosures and, depending on your situation, we may recommend having inspections done before you go live. This helps build buyer trust—and sometimes prevents a deal from falling apart later.

Step 6: Showtime (Literally)

Once all the marketing is ready, we’ll list your home on the MLS and enhance your presence across the internet. Buyer agents will start scheduling showings, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way.

You don’t have to coordinate everything yourself—we’ll handle the showing requests and keep it as stress-free as possible.

Final Thoughts

Every market and season is a little different, so timelines can vary—but with the right strategy and support, we’ll make sure your home gets seen, shown, and sold.

This is just the beginning! In our next post, I’ll walk you through what happens once the offers start rolling in. (Hint: that’s when things get really fun!)

If you’re thinking about selling your home in San Luis Obispo County and want expert guidance every step of the way, let’s connect.
I’m Amber Johnson, and my team at Pillar Real Estate is here to help you reach your real estate goals with confidence and clarity.