The Upstate seller workbook
From "should we sell?" to sold
If you're here, you're probably somewhere between "maybe we should sell?" and "I have no idea where to start." Good news, that's normal.
Catherine Cromie
REALTOR® · R&C Collective at eXp Realty · Greenville, SC
catherinecromie.exprealty.comSelling a home isn't just a transaction. It's timing, money, emotion, logistics, and sometimes a little chaos, all wrapped into one decision.
I started my career exclusively representing sellers, and even now, after working with plenty of buyers, my default setting is still to protect the person listing the home. My job isn't to "put a sign in the yard." It's to build a strategy that protects your equity and gives you leverage.
This workbook helps you do the thinking before you ever sign anything. You'll rank what matters most and estimate what you'd walk away with. Then you'll map out a listing timeline that fits your life. Your answers save in this browser, and nothing is sent unless you send it to me at the end.
Once I get your plan, I'll bring up the buying side with you directly. Curious in the meantime? My free buyer workbook has Greenville payment math, down payment programs, my favorite areas, and more: homeingvl-buyers.netlify.app
"Anytime I started to overthink or spiral, she explained everything in a way that actually made sense, helping me feel confident instead of overwhelmed."
Brittany, Past Seller ClientSection 1 · about 3 minutes
Is it a good time to sell?
Short answer: a good market helps, but a good plan helps more. Trying to perfectly time the headlines matters a lot less than your own timeline and your next move.
What's your #1?
Before we ever talk about price or photos, we talk about what matters most to you. Tap these in order, starting with the one that matters most. Tap again to reset.
If you have 3 months or more, you're in a great spot. Time is a luxury in real estate, and starting early is how you get it. Moving sooner? That's okay too. We'll focus on what matters most for your home and skip the rest.
Section 2 · about 5 minutes
What would you actually walk away with?
Most sellers focus on the sale price, which is understandable. But the number that changes your life is your net: what's left after the loan payoff and the costs of selling.
Whether to offer buyer agent compensation, and how much, is your decision as the seller. We'll talk through the options together.
This is a planning estimate. I review an estimated net sheet with my clients at our first meeting, before accepting an offer, during final negotiations, and again right before closing, so you always know exactly where you stand.
Good to know
Some of these costs are optional
Help with the buyer's closing costs is optional. So are repairs or credits after inspection and a home warranty for the buyer. Buyers cover their own closing costs unless your accepted offer says otherwise. Asking sellers to help has been a trend lately, but it isn't a given, and plenty of sellers don't spend money on these at all. Leave them in if you want a conservative estimate, or set them to $0 to see the other side.
South Carolina specific
Two costs out-of-state blogs miss
Deed recording fee. South Carolina charges $1.85 for every $500 of the sale price, which works out to $3.70 per $1,000. It's customarily paid by the seller. On a $375K sale, that's about $1,388.
Property taxes are paid in arrears. SC property taxes cover the year that already happened, so at closing you'll typically credit the buyer for your share of this year's taxes up to the closing date. The calculator includes it.
Moving out of state?
Ask your closing attorney about withholding
If you've already moved out of South Carolina by the time you sell, part of your proceeds may be held back for state income tax. It can be roughly 7% of the sale price, and in some cases it can be reduced.
Your closing attorney and tax professional can tell you whether it applies to you. I'm not an attorney or tax advisor, so please confirm with them before you move.
Many buyers in our area are asking for some kind of help with closing costs or repairs. That isn't a failure, it's market reality. The difference between a stressful sale and a strategic one is knowing it ahead of time. Planning is leverage.
Section 3 · about 4 minutes
Before you list: what actually matters
Let me save you from unnecessary renovations. Most homes don't need a full remodel to sell. They need to feel clean and move-in ready.
My rule of thumb: you don't have to fix anything to sell. If you do choose to spend money, structure and safety come before cosmetics. A home with a newer roof and a serviced HVAC system will often outperform a freshly painted home with 25-year-old mechanicals.
The non-negotiables
These cost little or nothing, and buyers notice every one.
Nice to have
Not required. They just help your photos and first impressions shine.
Once we're working together, you'll get my full Pre-Marketing Checklist, including a photo-day walkthrough and tips for homes with pets.
What's worth doing in Greenville, and what usually isn't
The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report estimates how much of a project's cost you get back at resale, with numbers specific to Greenville. The pattern is clear: small exterior projects win, and big interior remodels lose money.
Greenville, SC figures from the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, www.costvsvalue.com. ©2025 Zonda Media, a Delaware corporation. Complete data from the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.
Usually worth it
Curb appeal and exterior cleanup, paint and lighting refreshes, entry or garage door upgrades, decluttering and simple staging.
Usually not, unless required
Full kitchen or bath remodels, new windows, big additions, or a new roof that isn't actually needed. Big projects rarely pay back what they cost right before a sale.
Section 4 · about 3 minutes
Your listing timeline
Pick the date you'd like to be on the market and I'll work backward from it. This is a rough guide to help you avoid feeling rushed or behind. At our consult, we'll edit it together and make it yours.
Section 5 · about 4 minutes
Pricing and marketing
The first 7 to 12 days on the market matter most. That's when you get the most exposure and have the most leverage.
Why overpricing backfires
It costs you more than it gains
An overpriced home tends to sit longer, look less valuable to buyers, slide down in search results, and end up needing a price cut anyway. You'd be reacting instead of leading.
In our consult, I'll walk you through a pricing strategy and an estimated net sheet so you know your numbers before you decide anything.
Marketing isn't just "putting it on Zillow"
What I do for every listing
- Professional photography and measurements
- Full video walkthrough tours on YouTube
- Short-form video on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok
- Email marketing to my database
- Targeted geographic advertising, within fair housing rules
- Reverse prospecting and direct outreach to agents with buyers
Most buyers use Instagram and YouTube like search engines now. Not all of them are ready tomorrow, but a lot of them are watching.
"My home sold very quickly, and while there's always a little luck involved in real estate, I genuinely believe her pricing strategy, marketing, and professional presentation played a huge role in making that happen!"
Brittany, Past Seller ClientThe strategy most sellers don't know exists
Broker exclusive
Sometimes the best move isn't hitting the public market right away. A broker exclusive lets us test pricing, collect early buyer feedback, protect your days on market, and sometimes sell before your home ever goes public.
Most of my sellers opt into this, because it gives them leverage and keeps a listing from getting buried by search algorithms that favor brand-new listings. I recently helped a family sell for 100% of their asking price without ever putting a sign in the yard.
It isn't right for every home. We'll talk through the trade-offs together before you choose.
Section 6 · about 3 minutes
Showings to closing
Selling doesn't stop at contract. Here's what to expect, and what I'm doing behind the scenes the whole time.
Security and showings
You stay in control
- Supra Bluetooth lockbox, licensed agents only
- ShowingTime scheduling, so you approve every showing
- Every showing logged and timestamped
- A feedback call to every buyer's agent
I don't just ask "did they like it?" I ask structured questions that often uncover offers buyers were too nervous to write, or feedback that helps us course correct. Sometimes a buyer wants to write an offer and just needs the right terms to make it work.
After you accept an offer
What happens next
- Due diligence and inspections
- Repair requests, if the buyer has any
- Appraisal
- Final walkthrough
- Closing with the closing attorney
During this phase I negotiate strategically and source competitive vendor quotes when repairs come up. You'll hear from me every week at minimum. You'll never wonder what's happening behind the scenes.
"Most important, Catherine returned every text, call and email as soon as possible. She walked us through the process of listing our home. [Once an] offer came in she explained ‘what’s next.’"
Mark, Past Seller Client"I worked with Catherine when I sold my dad's home in S.C. She went above and beyond. It was a very intimidating effort because I lived out of state. She was very responsive and did anything and everything to get the [home] sold quickly and painlessly!"
Tamara, Past Seller ClientSelling and buying at the same time?
Timing is the whole game
Buying and selling together takes coordination and strong teamwork. I focus on clear agent-to-agent communication and strategic timing, so you're not stuck with two mortgages or nowhere to live.
Moving to Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, or somewhere else? I have trusted agent partners across the country. Your next chapter matters just as much as this sale.
Section 7 · your plan
Your selling plan
Everything you worked through, in one place. If you'd like a real pricing strategy and net sheet for your home, send it to me. I'll look it over and reach out personally within 24 hours.
Send my plan to Catherine
Rather DM me?
Send me the word SELL on Instagram at @home.in.gvl and I'll send you next steps. You can paste your plan in too.
From sellers I've helped
"Catherine exceeded every expectation I had and made the entire home-selling process feel so much more manageable than I ever expected. From our very first conversation, I felt heard... Catherine came in with a clear strategy, listened to what mattered most to me, and executed everything beautifully."
Brittany, Past Seller Client"Catherine helped us with the sale of our first home. This house was very special to our family. Catherine did an amazing job as our realtor. She took time to talk us through everything to expect, which helped us feel confident."
Dylan & Lyndsey, Past Seller Clients