The Dunnican Team · Seller's Guide · Greater Dallas Area
Phase by phase — with real timelines, Texas-specific context, and what we wish every seller knew before day one.
Selling a home in Texas isn't complicated — but it does have its own rhythm, its own rules, and a few specific steps that catch sellers off guard every single time.
After more than 26 years and 1,800+ transactions in the Northeast Dallas and Rockwall County corridor, we've walked through this process with a lot of families. The surprises are almost always the same. So is the path to a smooth, successful sale.
This guide walks you through it phase by phase — with honest timelines, plain-language explanations, and the context that makes all the difference.
This is where outcomes are made. The work you do before your home hits the MLS determines how fast it sells, what it sells for, and how smooth the transaction goes. Most sellers underestimate this phase — and it shows.
The Seller's Disclosure Notice catches people off guard. It's several pages of questions about the property's condition, history of repairs, known defects, and more. Texas law requires it, and buyers can back out during the option period if they feel the disclosure was misleading. Fill it out thoroughly and honestly — we'll walk through it with you.
Pre-listing prep is the highest-leverage thing you can do. Fresh neutral paint, clean floors, and good landscaping can easily be worth $5,000–$15,000 more at the closing table — and they're usually not expensive to accomplish. Don't skip this phase to save two weeks.
Pricing is strategy, not guesswork. We pull a full Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that includes recently sold homes, active competition, pending sales, and expired listings — homes that didn't sell, and why. We look at price per square foot, days on market for comparable properties, and where your home sits within the current competitive set.
The CMA drives the recommended list price. But list price is only part of the conversation — we'll also walk through your projected net proceeds, so you know what you're actually taking to the closing table.
The Zestimate is not a pricing tool. Online automated valuations don't account for condition, your specific location within a neighborhood, lot characteristics, upgrades, or current buyer demand. Your CMA looks at actual comparable sales from the past 90 days — that's the number that matters.
The first two weeks on market are the most valuable real estate you have. Serious, qualified buyers watch new listings closely and respond quickly. Price it right and you'll see strong early activity. Price too high and those buyers pass — and they often don't come back when you reduce later.
Going live on MLS isn't the beginning — it's the culmination of everything that came before it. By the time your home appears on Zillow, Realtor.com, Homes.com, and the hundreds of sites that syndicate from MLS, the marketing engine is already running.
One thing we do that most agents skip: we contact local agents who have actively shown or listed in your specific neighborhood. These agents often have buyers waiting for exactly your property.
The "Coming Soon" period is a real tool, not just a teaser. In Texas, we can market your property as Coming Soon for up to 21 days before entering it in MLS. This creates anticipation and lets us identify serious buyers before going fully public. When it's the right fit, it's highly effective.
Once you're live, showings start — and so does the feedback loop. Every showing is data. We track who's seen your home, what they said, and what the market is telling us in real time.
Feedback is often vague — or silent. Buyers' agents don't always respond, and when they do, "price" is the most common comment when buyers just didn't connect with a home. We'll help you separate actionable feedback from noise.
An offer coming in doesn't mean the work is done — it means it's shifting. In Texas, all offers are submitted on the standard TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract. The structure is consistent; what varies is everything inside it.
We'll review every offer together and give you a clear picture of net proceeds — not just the headline price. A cash offer $10,000 below list with no contingencies and a quick close can be worth more than a financed offer at full price with a sale contingency.
Multiple offers don't automatically mean you pick the highest one. Offer strength, financing certainty, flexibility, and the likelihood of actually closing all matter. We've seen the "highest" offer fall apart at appraisal while a slightly lower, cleaner offer would have sailed through.
Counter-offers are normal. Don't be offended by a low offer — treat it as an opening move. Knowing when to counter, when to accept, and when to walk away is exactly what experienced negotiation looks like.
Once both parties sign, the contract is executed — and the clock starts. In Texas, the date of execution is Day 0. Everything else is measured from here.
The "option period" is a Texas-specific concept that surprises sellers from other states. During this window, the buyer has an unrestricted right to terminate the contract for any reason — or no reason — and get their earnest money back. The only thing they forfeit is the option fee, which goes to you regardless. It's not personal. It's standard Texas real estate.
The option period is the most anxiety-producing part of a Texas transaction for sellers — and the most misunderstood. Here's how to think about it clearly.
Most buyers will find something — that's what inspectors are paid to do. What matters is how we respond. Your options: agree to specific repairs, offer a cash credit at closing, negotiate a combination of both, or decline and let the buyer decide. There is no rule requiring you to agree to anything. But being unreasonable has consequences — we'll help you find the right line.
Sellers sometimes feel blindsided by the inspection report — not because the house has major problems, but because a 60-page report with 40 items feels alarming. Most of it is normal. Inspectors note everything by design. The question is never "was anything found" — it's "what actually needs to be addressed." We'll walk through the report with you line by line.
Consider a pre-listing inspection. It costs $300–$500 and tells you exactly what a buyer's inspector is likely to find — before you're under contract and on a clock. You can fix issues at your own pace and negotiate from strength rather than defense. For older homes or properties with deferred maintenance, it can be worth every dollar.
Once the option period ends without termination, the transaction moves into its final stretch. The buyer is now committed — their earnest money is at risk if they walk without a valid reason. Several things move simultaneously during this phase.
A low appraisal is not the end. It's a data point that opens a conversation. With the right comparables, the right framing, and a well-prepared appraisal package, values can be supported — and transactions can close even when the initial number comes in short.
The buyer will walk the property shortly before closing to verify it's in substantially the same condition as when the contract was signed and that agreed-upon repairs are complete. This is not a second inspection.
Make sure: agreed repairs are done with receipts available, all included personal property is present, excluded items have been removed, the home is clean, and utilities are still on.
In Texas, closings happen at the title company. You'll sign documents transferring ownership, acknowledging payoff of any existing mortgage, and distributing proceeds. We'll typically be there with you.
Bring your government-issued photo ID. Everything else is handled by the title company. Wire transfer is standard for receiving your net proceeds — faster and safer than a check.
In Texas, the transaction isn't officially closed until the lender funds the loan. This usually happens the same day; occasionally it carries to the next business day. The title company confirms when funds are received and keys can be released.
You don't always receive your proceeds at the closing table. If funding is same-day, your wire arrives that afternoon. If delayed, it arrives the next business day. Plan accordingly — especially if you're coordinating a simultaneous purchase.
After 26 years and 1,800+ transactions, a few things stand out as universally true — and universally underestimated.
Price it right the first time. We've never seen a seller get more money by starting too high and chasing the market down. You get one shot at a first impression.
Your home doesn't have to be perfect — but it does have to be clean and show-ready. Buyers forgive a lot when they walk into a home that feels cared for. They struggle to overlook one that doesn't.
The option period is not a crisis — it's a process. Every buyer uses it. The inspection report will be long. The repair request may sting. That's normal. Breathe and let us do our job.
Timeline flexibility can be worth more than you think. A qualified buyer who needs 45 days to close is often worth more flexibility than holding firm and losing a solid offer over a date.
Cash is not always king. A well-qualified financed buyer at a higher price often nets you more. We'll run both scenarios before you decide.
Ask questions early. There are no dumb questions in a transaction this size. The time to understand a document is before you sign it.
We'd be glad to walk through the process with you, answer your questions, and give you a clear picture of what your home is worth in today's market.
Schedule a ConversationOr reach us at 972.679.1789 · [email protected]
9106 Royal Burgess Dr Rowlett TX 75089
9106 Royal Burgess Dr Rowlett TX 75089