How to Sell Your Home in Tampa Bay: Our Proven Process

How to Sell Your Home in Tampa Bay

Selling your home is a big decision, and in today’s competitive Tampa Bay market, you need more than just a sign in the yard. At The Tenpenny Collection, we don’t simply list homes — we debut them with precision and purpose.

Here’s everything you need to know about preparing, pricing, marketing, and launching your home in South Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and the greater Tampa Bay area.

Step 1: Pricing Strategy That Works

Getting the price right from the start is critical. Pricing isn’t as easy as “price per square foot”, it is a comprehensive strategy. To properly price your property, we evaluate:

Market Trends – Seasonal and economic factors affecting Tampa Bay.
Buyer Demand – Seller’s market vs. buyer’s market.
Comparable Sales – Reviewing recent sales in your specific area.
Unique Features – Renovations, waterfront access, lot size, flood zone, and location-specific perks, such as proximity to Bayshore Boulevard, Downtown St. Petersburg, or the beaches.

For a comprehensive market analysis on your unique property, connect with The Tenpenny Collection

Step 2: Pre-Listing Preparation

Homes that make a strong first impression sell faster and for more money. We guide you through the following preparation steps and provide trusted service partners to assist you along the way.

Staging – Arranging furniture and décor to highlight your home’s best features.
Repairs & Updates – Tackling small issues before buyers notice them.
Landscaping – Enhancing curb appeal with fresh mulch, trimmed hedges, and seasonal flowers.
Professional Cleaning – Making sure your home sparkles from top to bottom.

Step 3: Our 3-Phase Marketing Plan

Your home deserves more than a listing — it deserves a debut. That’s why we follow a three-phase marketing strategy:

Phase 1: Preparation

Professional photography, video tours, drone footage.
SEO-optimized descriptions for MLS, Zillow, and Google.
Pre-market buzz with social media teasers, email campaigns, and Realtor outreach.

Phase 2: Launch

Listing syndicated to 700+ real estate websites.
Coordinated campaigns on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google Ads.
Professionally printed brochures, floor plans, and QR codes.

Phase 3: Ongoing

Continuous ad campaigns – refreshed weekly.
Open house events are designed to showcase your home.
Exclusive exposure through luxury networks like Mavens, The Luxury Collective, and Luxury Home Marketing (CLHMS).

If you would like to receive a copy of our complete marketing plan, please connect with us here

Step 4: Listing Launch — How We Debut Your Home

Here’s a peek behind the scenes at what happens when your home goes live:

Before the Launch

Professional photography, videography, and floor plans.
Team strategy meeting to identify 2–3 highlights of the home that will serve as marketing anchors.
Collect all necessary information to answer the buyer’s questions, such as the Features & Benefits sheet, survey, elevation certificate, and the age of all major mechanical functions of the home.
Prepare Flyers, postcards, and digital ads.

Day of Launch

Listing activated in MLS + syndicated to Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and 700+ additional websites.
Add listing to TheTenpennyCollection.com with SEO optimization.
Videos are published on YouTube and social media.
Personalized outreach to agents and clients who may have interested buyers.

Open House Strategy

Open houses are added to the MLS 3–5 days in advance.
Event promoted on Facebook, Instagram, and neighborhood mailers.
Broker’s Open and presentations at Luxury Pitch and St. Pete Pitch.
Ongoing ads targeting high-intent buyers on Meta, Google, and YouTube.

This detailed launch ensures your property makes a powerful first impression online, in person, and in the community.

Step 5: Showing Your Home

Maintaining a “show-ready” home isn’t always easy for busy homeowners. However, taking the following steps to keep your home “show-ready” is essential for making a positive first impression.

Lights on and blinds open
Clean Countertops and Sinks
Beds Made
Toilet Lids Down
Floors Swept and Vacuumed
Clutter-Free Spaces
Odor free

Step 6: Offers, Negotiation & Contract

When offers arrive, we review price, contingencies, and buyer qualifications. Our negotiation style is:

Based on the details of the sales contract.
Strategic and market-driven.
Focused on protecting your interests.

At The Tenpenny Collection, we take pride in our negotiation expertise. We take a strategic, emotionally intelligent, and solution-oriented position to maximize our clients’ interests while maintaining a collaborative deal-making environment.

Below are a few of the key terms of the contract to consider when selling your home:

Price
Escrow Deposit
Buyer’s Financial Position
- Financing Qualifications
- Proof of Funds
Timelines & Critical Dates
- Acceptance Time
- Inspection Deadline
- Loan Approval Deadline
Contingencies
- Appraisal
- Sale of Buyer’s Property
- Compensation to Buyer’s Broker
Closing Terms
- Date
- Closing costs

Once your home is under contract, it is important to have a professional help monitor these deadlines to ensure the contract gets to the closing table.

Homeowners and Flood Insurance
Loan Approval Deadline
Lien Search
Title Commitment

We actively monitor each stage of the process and keep you informed every step of the way. Our proactive approach ensures potential obstacles are addressed before they become issues, providing peace of mind during the transaction.

Step 7: Closing & Beyond

Congratulations – we are at the final step of selling your Tampa Bay home!

Closing costs may vary from area to area. Some of the most common closing costs for sellers in Tampa Bay are;

Owner’s Title Policy
Title Search and Examination
Settlement Fee
Municipal Lien Search
Doc Stamps on the Deed
Realtor Fees
Recording Fees

The day of closing, you’ll meet with the title agent to finalize documents, transfer ownership, and complete the financial transactions. You will need to bring your state-issued ID to the closing. Gather all keys and access devices for the property to provide to the buyer at closing. These final steps mark the successful conclusion of your home-selling journey, and we’re here to ensure every detail is handled with care and precision.

Even after closing, The Tenpenny Collection remains a trusted resource for vendor referrals, real estate advice, and/or real estate investments to expand your portfolio.

Final Thoughts on Selling Your Tampa Bay Home

Selling a home in South Tampa, St. Petersburg, or Clearwater isn’t about putting it online and hoping for the best. It’s about understanding the unique features our area provides, while debuting your home with precision, purpose, and strategy.

At The Tenpenny Collection, we believe luxury is a level of service, not a price point. We deliver high-level service and communication from the first listing appointment all the way to the closing table and beyond. Your home deserves more than a listing. It deserves a debut with The Tenpenny Collection.

To receive the full version of our Seller’s Guide, contact The Tenpenny Collection today!

“ Rachel is amazing. She went out of her way to help me prepare for and stage my house to get top dollar for it. She knows the business and was able to keep me calm during a stressful closing period. She's one of a kind and the real estate agent and broker you want!”

“Going into the home buying process for the first time, it was important to us to have a real estate agent who was patient, responsive, and determined. Abby met and exceeded those expectations as our agent. She was quick to follow through, answer our questions, and update us on market changes. You could tell Abby was passionate about her job and cared about her clients. It was also helpful to have the support of Rachel, owner of the Tenpenney Collection, as a second opinion. I would recommend working with Abby and Rachel for those buying or selling in the Tampa Bay area”

“Rachel Sartain Tenpenny has been my realtor since I moved to Florida in 2004. She has always guided me in the right direction due to her extensive knowledge of the market. Rachel has the professionalism to help you in your endeavors and the drive that stands above many others. She is great athlete, wonderful friend, and a devoted mother. Rachel has the character traits that make her not just a great realtor but a wonderful person. She went above and beyond during my house hunting journey. She always responds to my calls, texts, and emails even when she is busy. I have learned so much from her and have benefited greatly from her services. Rachel is my realtor for life!”

Susie is an exceptional realtor who stands out from the rest. From the start, her personalized, relationship-driven approach was apparent. Susie listened closely to understand my wife and I to better understand our needs. She provided thoughtful guidance at my pace, and was always accessible and responsive. Susie is impressive because of her genuine care for her clients. She built a wonderful rapport with me and had my best interests at heart throughout the process. Thanks to Susie's expertise, hard work, and unwavering commitment to help. I recommend Susie without hesitation.”

“10/10! We recently purchased a home in St. Pete and Susie made our home buying experience a breeze! Susie is extremely knowledgeable of the area and understood exactly what we were looking for. She was there throughout every step of the process to guide us and answer our thousands of questions along the way.”

“What a pleasure it was working with Susie in searching for my perfect house! She was so professional yet friendly in our day to day quest for my replacement home. Susie was patient and thorough in finding the right area and city for my needs. She made many suggestions and provided helpful options that worked for me along the way. It was obvious to me that Susie knew the area that I was looking for and brought background information on each property I was interested in. She was also helpful in answering my questions on shopping areas and finding utility resources. She also made sure to keep me within my budget, which was very important to me. She encouraged me to call or text her with any questions. The closing on my home went very smoothly and I asked Susie to accompany me.

“Rachel was our realtor and did an amazing job finding our home. We truly believe we never would have gotten the home if she wasn’t our realtor. We had been searching for three years, and every time we found a home, it became a bidding war on day one. I refused to pay way over the asking price and in all cash, so we lost many opportunities. Then we met Rachel. She found us a home, and once again, we faced a bidding war. This time, Rachel recommended we put in a backup offer after losing the initial bidding war. We were the only ones who did this, and when the initial buyer didn't come through, we got the home—even though we weren’t even the top two offers. We owe this all to Rachel, who also provided us with all the contacts needed to help remodel the home, as we knew no one. We couldn’t be happier and highly recommend Rachel.”

“Abby is motivated, hard-working, and a pleasure to work with. She is very communicative and stays on top of action items. She prioritizes well and has great internal and external contacts for inspections, utilities, insurance, etc. Rachel and the rest of the team are great as well. They’re ready to assist whenever necessary and I strongly recommend their team to any friends or family who are in the market.

“Rachel is the best realtor in St Pete. She is extremely professional and has ran multiple brokerages. She helped me get seller concessions and a great deal on my property. Could not be more happy with her service.”

“Susie came recommended by a friend. I was an undecided client...selling?...buying a condo here and there to be a snowbird?...moving out of state? Susie helped me through it all. Twice. I was going to sell, then I wasn't. Susie was amazingly patient and provided professional guidance at all of my indecision points. When it finally came to selling, Susie helped me navigate all steps along the way. Susie would be an excellent buying and/or selling representative on your behalf. She was for me!”

“When you need to buy or sell Susie knows her stuff. great communication and demeanor keeps you feeling great no matter which direction you need her to go. susie has done a great job on 3 different properties. I will definitely go with her again!”

“Susie was the ultimate professional realtor in a real estate transaction that was extremely challenging. Personally, as a Seller, I have participated in over 200 real estate transactions in my career and this transaction was the absolute worst due solely to an extremely difficult buyer. Susie was there the entire way!! She is a gem!”

“Susie is terrific. Knows the landscape and did a great job of getting our home ready for sale, and the entire sales process.”

“Susie is a great agent that will do every thing she can to help you in the process of selling your home. Calm, friendly, and non-pressuring, I couldn’t ask for another realtor than Susie.”

“Whether you are buying or selling Susie Collins is the one to call. She explained everything to us during the process of us selling our home which put us at ease. She was super patient in answering all of our questions we had as well. I can not express how great she is. We highly recommend Susie to anyone looking for a realtor in the area.”