Selling a Home From Out of State: How I Prepared a Temple Hills Property for Market

by Shawanda Robinson

Selling a home from out of state can be challenging, especially when a Maryland property needs significant preparation before it is ready for the market.

That's exactly the situation my seller faced with this Temple Hills property.

My seller lives out of state, so I took on the responsibility of coordinating the professionals needed to get the home market-ready after the previous tenant left the property in horrendous condition.

This wasn't simply about putting a property in the MLS.

It was about taking a property that wasn't ready for the market and creating a plan to get it there.

Getting the Property Market-Ready

When you're selling a home from another state, you can't simply stop by the property to check on a contractor, meet a service provider or make a last-minute decision.

You need someone local who can assess what needs to be done, coordinate the moving pieces and keep the process moving.

That's what I did.

I coordinated with BMS LLC to help restore and prepare the property for market. I managed the local logistics and coordinated the professionals needed to get the home ready for photography, showings and buyers—so my seller didn't have to try to manage everything from out of state.

👀 Want to See What We Started With?

I shared a video on Instagram showing the property's condition before we began preparing it for market.

WATCH THE BEFORE VIDEO ON INSTAGRAM

The Marketing Plan Started Before We Went Live

Once the property was ready, I didn't want to simply put it in the MLS and wait to see what happened.

We created a launch designed to generate early interest and get the property in front of buyers and real estate professionals quickly.

First Up: A Broker's Open

Before opening the property to the public, I hosted a broker's open to introduce the home to local real estate professionals and give agents an opportunity to see the property firsthand.

And because I believe good food makes almost any gathering better, we made sure the event felt welcoming.

Taste of Saleesha catered the event, and the food was absolutely delicious. It was so good that people kept coming back for more.

The event was made possible with support from two trusted business partners:

Brad Rohrs of Chevy Chase Financial sponsored the food, and Peter Parente of KVS Title sponsored the drinks.

It was a great opportunity to introduce the property to agents while creating an enjoyable experience around the listing.

Then We Opened the Doors to the Public

Friday was also our first public open house, but I wanted it to feel a little different.

We hosted a happy-hour-style public open house, giving potential buyers an opportunity to come through after work, explore the property and experience the home in a relaxed setting. My colleague Will Holland joined me in hosting the Friday evening open house.

To keep the momentum going throughout the weekend, Tia Nichols hosted the Saturday and Sunday open houses. I truly appreciate having trusted colleagues I can count on to help provide a great experience for my sellers and their prospective buyers.

The goal was simple:

Create as much meaningful exposure as possible while the listing was fresh.

And the market responded quickly.

The First Offer Came Within Hours

The property went on the market Friday morning.

By 2 PM that afternoon, we had our first offer.

We were negotiating contracts almost immediately after the property hit the market.

And by Monday, the property was under contract.

That's a quick response.

But I want to make an important distinction: a fast sale or multiple offers are never something a REALTOR® can guarantee.

Every property, seller and market is different.

What I can do is focus on the things within my control:

Prepare the property thoughtfully.
Coordinate the right professionals.
Position the home strategically.
Create early exposure.
Be present and engaged with buyers.
Respond quickly when opportunities arise.
Keep the process moving.

That's the work that happens behind the listing.

What This Means for an Out-of-State Seller

For my seller, being out of state didn't mean they had to manage everything from hundreds of miles away.

They had someone local who could:

See the property.
Coordinate the work.
Manage the launch.
Meet the professionals.
Be there for buyers.
Communicate what was happening.
And keep the sale moving.

That's an important part of what I provide to my sellers.

Because sometimes the biggest challenge isn't selling the house.

It's getting the house ready to sell when you can't physically be there.

If you're an out-of-state homeowner with a property in Maryland—or you're thinking about selling a property you've inherited, rented out or simply haven't lived in for years—I'd be happy to talk through what getting it market-ready could look like.

You don't have to live nearby to have someone local in your corner.