Free seller’s guide · 2026 edition
The Long Island Home Seller’s Guide
How to sell your Seaford, Massapequa or Long Island home for top dollar, step by step. About a 10-minute read.
In this guide
Selling a house on Long Island, start to finish
Selling your home is a big decision. This guide walks you through what happens from the day you start thinking about it to the day you hand over the keys, with the New York and Long Island details most guides leave out.
The process
The 8 steps to selling your home
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Pricing review
We look at the most recent comparable sales near your home and agree on a strategy.
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Prep and paperwork
Small repairs, decluttering, and gathering your survey, Certificates of Occupancy and disclosure form.
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Photos, video and 3D tour
Professional photos, a walkthrough video for social media and a Zillow 3D Home Tour.
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Launch
Your home goes live on the OneKey MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com and social media, all at once, backed by paid social media campaigns that target buyers.
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Showings and open houses
Buyers tour with their agents. I pre-qualify buyers and coordinate every appointment.
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Offers and negotiation
We compare price, financing, contingencies and timing, not just the top number.
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Contract
The attorneys draft and sign the contract, and the buyer’s deposit goes into escrow.
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Inspection, appraisal, closing
The buyer’s inspection, appraisal and mortgage commitment, then the closing, usually at an attorney’s or the lender’s office.
Step 1
Price it right from day one
Your listing gets the most attention in its first days on the market. In Seaford and Massapequa right now, the typical home goes under contract in under three weeks. A home priced at or just below fair market value draws the most buyers, and competition is what pushes the final price over asking.
What sets your price
- Recent sales of similar homes close to yours
- School district, which can change from one block to the next
- Location details: busy road, canal or waterfront, flood zone
- Size, layout, condition and updates
- Open permits or missing Certificates of Occupancy
What overpricing costs you
- Fewer showings, because buyers filter by price
- It makes competing homes look like better deals
- The appraisal may come in short, putting the deal at risk
- The listing goes stale and buyers start asking what’s wrong
- Price cuts later often net less than pricing right up front
About online estimates: a Zestimate is a starting point, not a price. It can’t see your renovations, your block or your school district line. For a real number, ask me for a free pricing review.
Step 2
Get your home ready to sell
Buyers judge your home against every other listing they’ve seen this week. You don’t need a renovation, but a few weekends of work can make a real difference in price.
Quick fixes
- Fresh neutral paint
- Leaky faucets and running toilets
- Burned-out bulbs
- Loose railings and sticky doors
Declutter
- Clear counters and fridge doors
- Remove extra furniture
- Pack personal photos
- Organize closets and the garage
Curb appeal
- Trim, mow and edge
- Fresh mulch and flowers
- Clean or paint the front door
- Power wash siding and walkways
Big-ticket items
- Roof, boiler or furnace, and A/C working
- Fogged windows replaced
- Water stains fixed at the source
- Ask me before spending on upgrades
Step 3
Marketing that creates competition
Most listings get a sign, an MLS entry and a hope. Mine get a launch plan built to put your home in front of the largest possible pool of buyers in its first week, because more buyers competing means a higher final price. And because it reaches buyers wherever they’re searching, it works for homes anywhere on Long Island and in Queens, not just Seaford and Massapequa.
- Professional photography
- Walkthrough video for social media
- Zillow 3D Home Tour and floor plan
- OneKey MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com and syndication
- Paid social media campaigns that target buyers
- Email to local agents and buyers
- Open houses and broker previews
- Mailings to the neighborhood
★★★★★
“Russ made sure to get our listing out on Zillow and to hundred of agents in the area leading to over 50 private showings and open house group showings. This led to multiple quality offers.”
New York specifics
The paperwork Long Island sellers need
Getting these in order before you list keeps your deal from stalling between contract and closing.
Property Condition Disclosure Statement
Since March 20, 2024, New York sellers of most one- to four-family homes must give buyers this form before signing a contract. The old option of giving a $500 credit instead is gone, and the updated form includes flood history questions. I’ll walk you through it.
Certificates of Occupancy
Buyers’ attorneys check Town of Hempstead or Town of Oyster Bay building records. Not every missing CO is a deal-breaker. See how I handle them below.
Survey and title
Find your survey from when you bought. It shows lot lines, fences, sheds and pools, and the buyer’s title company will compare it to what’s there today.
Flood information
If you’re south of Merrick Road or near the water, gather your flood insurance policy, elevation certificate and records of any repairs or elevation work.
How I handle missing COs and open permits
In a seller’s market, you have leverage, and not every missing CO needs to be fixed before you list. Here’s the rule of thumb I give my sellers:
Minor items buyers usually overlook
- Finished basement
- Basement bathroom
- Deck
- Above-ground pool
- Other minor improvements
Fix these if you want top dollar
- Extensions and additions
- Dormers
- Anything else that adds square footage
- Open permits, which should be closed out
Can you still sell with permit issues? Yes. I can sell a house with open permits or missing COs, but it may need to be priced at a discount. We’ll look at your town records together before you list and decide what’s worth fixing.
Your bottom line
What it costs to sell a house on Long Island
Before you list, I’ll give you a written estimate of your net proceeds. These are the usual seller costs in Nassau County.
| Cost | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Real estate commission | Negotiable. We’ll agree on it, including any buyer’s agent compensation, in writing before you list. |
| NYS transfer tax | 0.4% of the sale price ($2 per $500), customarily paid by the seller. |
| Your attorney | A flat fee in most cases. In New York, attorneys handle the contract and closing. |
| Mortgage payoff | Your remaining balance, plus any payoff and recording fees from your lender. |
| Repairs or credits | Anything you agree to after the buyer’s inspection. |
| Property tax adjustments | Taxes and fuel are adjusted between buyer and seller at closing. |
For general information only, not legal or tax advice. Your attorney will confirm the exact figures for your sale.
Steps 6 to 8
From offer to closing
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Compare offers
Price matters, but so do the buyer’s financing, down payment, contingencies and closing date. With multiple offers, I’ll lay them side by side and help you get each buyer’s best and final.
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Accepted offer and contract
Once you accept, the attorneys take over the contract. The buyer’s deposit, often around 10% of the price, is held in escrow by your attorney.
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Inspection
The buyer’s inspector checks the structure, roof, systems and more. Requests for repairs or credits are negotiated, and I keep things moving.
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Appraisal and mortgage commitment
If the buyer is financing, their lender orders an appraisal and issues a mortgage commitment. Pricing from real comps is what keeps appraisals on track.
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Final walkthrough
The buyer visits shortly before closing to confirm the home is in the agreed condition. Leave it broom-clean with everything that was included in the sale.
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Closing
Everyone signs, the funds are paid out, and you hand over the keys. Contract to closing on Long Island commonly takes about 60 to 90 days.
Moving
Your moving checklist
One month out
- Book movers or a truck
- File a change of address
- Start packing what you don’t use
- Keep moving receipts
Two weeks out
- Schedule utility shutoff and setup
- Arrange help, sitters and pet care
- Confirm the movers
- Get the fuel tank reading if you have oil heat
Moving day
- Pack an essentials box
- Walk every room and closet
- Leave keys, remotes and manuals
- Take meter photos
After the move
- Update your license and registration
- Update insurance and banks
- Register to vote
- Help the kids settle in
FAQs
Selling a house on Long Island: FAQs
How long does it take to sell a house on Long Island?
In Seaford and Massapequa in 2026, the typical home went under contract in under three weeks. Contract to closing commonly takes another 60 to 90 days, depending on the buyer’s financing and the attorneys.
Do I need an attorney to sell my house in New York?
Yes, in practice. On Long Island, the seller’s and buyer’s attorneys draft and negotiate the contract and handle the closing. I can recommend experienced local real estate attorneys.
Do I have to fill out the Property Condition Disclosure Statement?
For most one- to four-family homes, yes. Since March 20, 2024, sellers must deliver it before signing a contract and can no longer give a $500 credit instead. A few transfers are exempt, such as sales by an executor or trustee.
Can I sell my house without a CO?
Often, yes. In today’s market most buyers will overlook missing COs for minor items like a finished basement, basement bath, deck or above-ground pool. Extensions, dormers and other added square footage should have COs, and open permits should be closed, if you want top dollar. Otherwise, expect to price it at a discount.
Should I make repairs before I sell?
Fix anything broken and anything an inspector will flag, like leaks or a failing system. Skip big remodels unless the numbers support it. I’ll tell you what’s worth it for your home.
How do I find out what my home is worth?
Online estimates can miss by a wide margin. Request a free pricing review and I’ll put together a price range from the most recent sales near you.
Take it with you
Download the Seller’s Guide
Prefer to read it offline or print it? Download the PDF version of this guide. No sign-up needed.
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Market figures are from the OneKey MLS and are believed accurate but not guaranteed.
