Seller FAQ's

an exceptional experience

SELLERS

We recognize that selling a home can be nuanced. Sometimes it’s to downsize. Sometimes it’s about a move away from the area. Other times it’s about a growing family. Regardless, it’s always emotional. At Cindy Raney & Team, our job is to guide you throughout the entire home selling process, from listing your Fairfield County home for sale to negotiating the most value for you. Our Westport realtors serve clients in the communities we live in, including Westport, Fairfield, Southport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Darien, and Greenwich. We take great pride in having a team so heavily invested in the client experience. It’s why we work so hard to provide you with an exceptional one.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is the question that keeps many sellers on the sidelines. The key isn’t just about selling at the top—it’s about structuring your move so that you don’t feel trapped in the market conditions that buyers are facing.  
Here’s how we help you do that: 
  1. Bridge the Gap Before You List: We don’t just throw your home on the market and hope for the best. We work behind the scenes before listing to identify potential next homes—sometimes even off-market opportunities—so that you have a plan in place before committing to the sale. 
  2. Flexible Selling Structures: Many sellers assume they’ll have to sell and move immediately, but that’s not always the case. We can negotiate leasebacks, extended closings, or other creative solutions that allow you to sell now while buying yourself time to find the right next home. 
  3. Preempting the Buyer Competition: If inventory is your concern, we use our relationships and market access to help you secure your next home before you list—whether through private sales, upcoming listings, or strategic contract contingencies. 
  4. The Interest Rate Factor: Trading a low mortgage rate for a higher one is daunting, but it’s important to zoom out. If you’re moving to a home that better fits your long-term needs, the right home at today’s rate can be a smarter financial decision than waiting indefinitely. And when rates drop, refinancing becomes an option. 
Selling isn’t just about getting the best price—it’s about structuring a move that protects your future. That’s where we come in. 

This is one of the most critical strategic decisions a seller can make, and it depends on your personal timeline as well as market factors. Here’s how we’d approach it:

The Winter Advantage: Listing now means less competition. Buyers in the market during the winter tend to be serious and motivated, and with inventory low, your home could stand out and attract strong offers.

Spring Surge vs. Spring Competition: While spring traditionally sees more buyer activity, it also brings an influx of new listings. If too many comparable homes enter the market, it could dilute attention on your property and put pressure on pricing.

Maximizing Current Momentum: The luxury market in Fairfield County continues to perform well, with buyers who are less rate-sensitive and ready to move. By positioning your home effectively now—with our guidance on pricing, staging, and marketing—you can take advantage of a market that still favors well-presented properties.

Ultimately, the decision to sell now or wait should hinge on the preparedness of your home and your personal goals. We’ll work closely with you to craft a strategy that maximizes your sale price and minimizes your stress.

Buyers in today’s market are drawn to homes that feel move-in ready. Simple upgrades, such as fresh paint, professional staging, and landscaping, can significantly enhance your home’s appeal. For larger investments, such as updating kitchens or bathrooms, we can help you evaluate the return on investment based on local trends. With demand high and competition low, even small improvements can result in outsized gains. Let’s talk about which updates will make the biggest impact for your property.

Listing in Spring 2025 could be your best move to attract motivated buyers and maximize your sale price. Here’s why:

 

Higher Buyer Motivation: Spring often brings increased buyer activity in Fairfield County, especially among high-net-worth individuals who gain confidence as the economic outlook stabilizes post-election.

 

Better Price Potential: Spring’s heightened demand and stabilized interest rates can drive multiple offers, potentially driving up your final sale price.

 

Time to Prepare: Waiting allows us the time to make your home market-ready with staging, photography, and a strategic marketing plan to capture immediate buyer interest. 

 

Limited Early Competition: Listing in early spring positions you advantageously, as buyers are active but not yet overwhelmed with options, giving your property a strong head start.

Holding onto a great interest rate can feel like a major advantage, particularly when rates are higher.  However, focusing solely on interest rates may prevent you from acting in your best interest. 

Consider the following:

  1. With options – mortgage rate buydowns or refinancing in the future – you have flexibility. You can lock in today’s rate and refinance later if rates fall.
  2. Interest rates may drop in the future.  If they do, and you wait till then, more buyers enter the market, increasing competition and making it more challenging to find your next home.
  3. Home prices across Fairfield County remain strong due to lack of inventory. If you’re not in love with your home – the demand is there. You can likely sell at a premium.  We can show you how to capitalize.
  4. Don’t stay in a home that no longer fits your lifestyle.  It affects your day-to-day happiness.  Move to a home that better suits your needs now to improve your quality of life.

The market is hyper local and we would love to speak to you about your specific location. In general, if you’re in a neighborhood where demand is high, buyers are often willing to pay a premium to secure a property. This increases the likelihood of receiving multiple offers. In turn, this may drive up the final selling price. 

 

However, if your home is in a neighborhood that isn’t as sought-after or there is an element of your home that isn’t ideal, now is still a great time to sell. In today’s market, sellers have a significant advantage due to the lack of available inventory. What is incredibly important is that you price your home correctly and stage it to show off its best features.  This can make a world of difference and allows homes in areas that may not be considered “prime” locations to be sold – even at a premium. It is critical to work with a team that knows how to position your home in the current landscape.  

 

At Cindy Raney & Team, we focus on remarkable marketing to maximize your home’s appeal.  It starts with exceptional photography which attracts buyers into your home, no matter the location. By combining our world class photography with proper pricing, professional staging, and expert marketing, we help ensure your home sells for its highest potential. 

Limited inventory can work to your advantage. With fewer homes available, your property may attract more attention, potentially leading to a quicker sale and higher offers. We specialize in navigating these market conditions with:
 
  1. Personalized Plan: Tailored strategies to meet your goals, whether timing your sale or exploring temporary housing.
  2. Exclusive Listings: Access to off-market properties for an early start on finding your next home.
  3. Local Expertise: Insight into Fairfield County’s market to spot opportunities and make informed decisions.

If your home is show ready we can have it on the market within 48 hours. If staging or improvements are needed, it can take on average 3 weeks.

If you want to sell your home quickly and for the most money possible we strongly recommend staging your home for sale. Our staged homes historically outperform the market.

Our concierge style process takes care of all of the details. We will arrange consultation appointments with our top staging recommendations in the area. From there we will review proposals together and determine the best fit based on cost and availability.

We understand how valuable your time is and that the thought of getting your home ready for the market can be extremely stressful. Our concierge team will be there every step of the way. We will start by creating a list of recommended improvements and provide our network of trusted local professionals. We are available to coordinate and meet with these providers to help get estimates and facilitate the process. These can include items such as painting, decluttering, staging, estate sales, cleaning, landscaping, carpenters, window washers - you name it!

Typically closings occur in 30 to 60 days. This timing can be shortened or extended depending on the details of the transaction.

Rent: We can put your house on the market and find a short term rental in the area

Sale subject to seller finding suitable housing: This means you are not under any obligation to accept an offer or sell your home until you have found your new place.

Lease back: The buyer will close on your home and you can lease back for up to a predetermined amount of time at market rate allowing you to look for a new house with the comfort of knowing your home is sold.

 

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TESTIMONIALS

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  • Selling our home at 1081 Hillside in Fairfield, CT was a seamless experience, thanks to Cindy Raney and her team. From start to finish, Cindy was professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated to ensuring we got the best outcome. Cindy assisted us with minor staging, ensuring our home looked its best. The marketing was cutting-edge, from brochures to videos to the website. Her expertise in the Fairfield homes market was evident as she guided us through her listing price strategy and expertly negotiated multiple offers. Cindy’s responsiveness and trustworthy advice made the entire process as easy as it could be. We were thrilled with the outcome and hi...
    — Anna
  • Cindy's commitment and dedication were truly first-rate. We felt a great connection and confidence in her from the start. She exceeded our expectations in finding the right house, getting our existing home sold and guiding us through the process.
    — Ben & Heather
  • Sold our house in a week! Amazingly helpful! Couldn't be more pleased! Cindy helped stage the house, took professional photographs, and had impressive marketing materials and a website to advertise the house. Networked aggressively with other realtors to get the house shown as much as possible. Cindy made the house-selling process enjoyable.
    — Stephanie
  • Cindy has been nothing but outstanding. She truly understands our requirements in terms of house, price, and neighborhood and has patiently devoted a lot of time to the search. Upon first meeting Cindy we were pleasantly taken aback by her understanding of the market, dedication to our needs, honesty, utmost professionalism, and integrity.
    — Daniel & Yelena
  • Cindy and her team are consummate professionals! They provide the highest level of personalized support serving as realtors, counselors, friends, and even spirit guides, during what can be a pretty emotional journey. We are so thrilled to have found our new home and could not have done it without Cindy and her superheroes. Thank you, thank you.
    — Luke
  • Moving across the country lends too much stress, let alone during a pandemic. We can't recommend Cindy and her team enough. With a small window of time to look for homes and limited inventory, Cindy did a phenomenal job of getting us into our desired neighborhood. She is extremely knowledgeable about the market and was a great advocate in making the deal happen.
    — Natasha
  • We decided to move during a pandemic. Right at the moment everyone else was also planning to leave the city. So the timing came with a ton of pressure. Luckily, Cindy was in our corner. Calm, insightful, and extremely knowledgeable about the area. We simply couldn't have made it happen without her and her team. If you are considering the area, then call Cindy.
    — Daniel
  • After speaking to a number of real estate professionals, my wife and I decided to work with Cindy and her team because they had the best market insights and the most credible marketing plan. They took the time to understand our objectives and really got to know the home leading to a flawless process and a better than expected outcome. We would certainly work with them again.
    — Michael
  • From start to finish Cindy was wonderful! Full of knowledge of the community where we purchased the home, the details of the house and regulations, the level of expertise is unsurpassed. She communicated any updates and to-do’s of the transaction very quickly and professionally. Cindy delivered our dream home. We would highly recommend Cindy to anyone who wants to get the right home.
    — R. B.
  • Cindy was a breeze to work with from start to finish. She was honest, and straightforward, and got us exactly what we wanted. She was a calm point in the craziness of the market. Especially since we were also under stress from selling a house in a different state, as well as buying in an area we knew very little about! I recommend her (and team) to anyone and everyone I know looking in Fairfield County.
    — Heather
  • My husband and I were determined to relocate to Weston from the West Coast to be near our family. After viewing numerous homes online and getting familiar with the area through our kids' presale work with Cindy last summer, we were able to find the right home on the first day out and close escrow within 2 weeks. Cindy and Kate are very familiar with the area and on top of market conditions. They provided introductions to the service providers we needed to handle the transaction and get our house ready for move-in. And we love it here.
    — Beverly
  • In the midst of what felt to me like a very crowded seller's market, with many similarly-priced, high-quality properties for sale in the community, Cindy delivered. Maybe more importantly, she removed virtually all of the anxiety from the process, allowing me to stay focused on my life. Her command of the market, coupled with her unwavering focus on each step of the process, big or small, made me feel as though I was her only client. I strongly recommend Cindy to anybody looking for the expertise of a large commercial enterprise with the bespoke feel of a local boutique.
    — Adam
  • Five stars just aren't enough! Cindy is the best; it is that simple. Cindy made me feel like I was her only client. She works tirelessly with integrity and passion. We were looking for a very specific home in Fairfield. Cindy was very patient and didn't give up until she found us the perfect home. We have worked with Cindy on both the buy and sell side. I would never work with anyone else. Besides being knowledgeable, and a complete expert in her field who goes above and beyond, Cindy is a complete pleasure to be with. I highly, highly recommend Cindy to anyone who is looking to buy or sell a home.
    — Ruth
  • Cindy helped us buy our first home in 2019. From our initial communication, I knew that Cindy would be a great advocate for us during what was a completely new, sometimes stressful process. She was great at explaining everything and answering all of our questions. Cindy offered great advice while we negotiated and was always extremely responsive to our calls, emails, and texts. She also provided great vendor recommendations and we've been very impressed with everyone she referred us to. Most importantly, she was super friendly and lovely to work with during the process. We would highly recommend Cindy Raney to anyone looking to buy a new home!
    — N. V.
  • Cindy is an outstanding realtor! My husband and I were first-time home buyers, who were very nervous about the process. The moment we met Cindy she was attuned to what we wanted and she never tried to "sell us" on why XYZ was better. She noted our preferences and helped us find what was right for us. Also, Cindy was very low-pressure, we always felt that she was looking out for our best interests. Cindy was patient with us (my husband is very picky), answered all of our questions, and helped us find our dream home. We could always count on Cindy to be there for us and make the purchase of our first home easy and enjoyable. I would absolutely recomme...
    — Julie
  • The decision to sell our first house after years of renting it was not an easy one. The decision to go with Cindy was. From day 1 to closing she was consistently proactive, responsive, supportive, and reliable. In a market that was anything but consistent and having buyers that were not the easiest to deal with, having someone with these qualities representing us was incredibly important to keeping our sanity during the process. Having used other agents in the past, I honestly can say Cindy was the most diligent, realistic, honest, and hardworking. Thank you, Cindy! And while I hope I don’t require real estate services in the future, if I did Cindy ...
    — Katie
  • Working with Cindy was always our calm ballast even when twists and turns confronted us which essentially became the norm during the pandemic. Cindy constantly assessed the market and correctly told us when to take our house off the market and then again when to put it on the market safely and sure enough, we came away with a wonderful offer we were very happy with. At every turn, I could count on Cindy being a total professional and having our best interests always in mind. When we needed to make minor repairs to be ahead of any issues, she always had the proper referrals that would solve the problem quickly. My wife and I have proudly referred her...
    — Jim
  • Cindy helped my wife and I both purchase and sell a home in Southport, Connecticut. We had originally met Cindy when viewing a home she had for sale and quickly realized that her local knowledge of the town, market, and real estate process would be a great asset. We worked with her over many months to find exactly the right home, her advice was critical in the search process over many months. When we ultimately found the right home Cindy helped us navigate the process and negotiate effectively. Upon purchasing our new house she also helped sell our previous home which was listed and sold in less than a week based upon her staging and improvement adv...
    — Evan
  • We enlisted the help of Cindy and her team for the purchase of our first home during the craziness of the pandemic housing market (and while 6 months pregnant!). We knew we wanted to make the move from NY to CT but knew very little about the towns and market. Cindy was extremely knowledgeable and was able to give us a download on all the pros and cons of towns based on our needs. Once we landed on the towns for consideration, her team sent us great options that fit the criteria we had set. We had to move quickly and Cindy was able to do just that so we could tour the houses we were interested in. Knowing we were new to the process of home buying, Ci...
    — Talia
  • We highly recommend Cindy Raney and team! Cindy listed our house in Greenfield Hill. We can’t say enough about how amazing our experience was with Cindy and her team. Before we listed our house, she gave us great feedback on what she liked and what changes we could make to maximize our outcome. Simple changes yet made a big difference at the end. She brought in a stager that transformed the look of the house with great ideas and furniture. She was very professional throughout the entire process with strong communication, constantly updating us with any new information. She was very responsive and reachable no matter the time of day. She is very know...
    — Hirut
  • Cindy and her team are exceptional at what they do and this review is long overdue. We moved back to CT from CA a little over 1 year ago and were in search of a house in Westport (first virtually then in person). We were in the process of starting a family and were hoping for a “forever home” in an extremely competitive market, a tall order, but Cindy and her team were organized, and knowledgeable and guided us to a wonderful house. We have now been in our home for almost 1 year and are so happy with every aspect of the property. If you are looking for an agent to assist you either in person or virtually, I highly recommend Cindy!
    — The Flasters
  • Cindy, Margaret and the rest of the Cindy Raney team are absolutely exceptional. They sold our Fairfield house in the beach area this year and were complete pros from start to finish: meticulous research to ensure the right pricing; always fast to react and respond to our thoughts and questions; created an attractive, creative marketing campaign; provided thoughtful advice throughout the sale process; and, handled negotiations professionally and with transparency to close the deal. I enthusiastically recommend Cindy and Team!
    — Paul & Jen
  • I had an amazing experience with the Cindy Raney team! I worked with the fabulous Margaret to both purchase our new home and sell our previous home. I felt guided, supported, and rooted from start to finish. Highly recommend!
    — Liz & JD
  • Cindy Raney and Team have been incredible partners in our journey to find a house in Fairfield County. They have deep knowledge of the area and a firm understanding of both the sell side and the buy side. We would not have found our current home without them (thank you, Margaret!) and would work with them again anytime!
    — Anastasia & Adam
  • Cindy and her team are phenomenal. They're extremely organized and have an exceptional sense of the real estate market and its direction. When looking for a home, along with a complete change of lifestyle, the three most important things needed from a broker (in our opinion, at least) are: knowledge, availability, and most of all patience. Cindy over-qualifies in all the above requirements. She is very realistic, extremely organized and, most importantly, very understanding- always taking in her client's needs, wants and abilities in purchasing a home. It took almost 2 years to find the right home to relocate a family of 5 from a NYC apartment to a ...
    — Estee
  • My husband and I had been house hunting for 4+ years (in another state). When we started our search in Connecticut, Cindy came highly recommended. Cindy took the time to get to know us, and what we were looking for and worked tirelessly to find it (including flyering a street once I mentioned I thought was pretty!) She only showed us homes that made the most sense/never wasted our time, but always kept us in the know of other listings, and always added her real estate market insights. We bought the 5th house she showed us, our dream, forever home, which was an off-market listing! She even got the deal done during that tricky week between Christmas a...
    — Missy
  • Cindy and her team are extraordinary and guided us expertly through every step of our real estate transaction. Cindy spent a great deal of time and energy helping us evaluate good price points and establish a plan of action to sell our house at the best price. What she accomplished in the end was far beyond our expectations and allowed us to transition into the new home of our dreams. Cindy's team of realtors also provided top-level support and a high degree of professionalism and responsiveness. We couldn't recommend them more highly!
    — Elisabeth
  • Cindy's Team did a great job in preparing, transforming and staging our home for a successful sale. A special shout out to Adrienne for her unwavering support and the Staging people's creativity and elan.
    — Robin
  • Cindy and her team are the absolute best in the area! They are professional, quick, plugged-in, well-liked and respected by other realtors, and completely in the know, which is so important in this market. Right from the beginning, Cindy listened to everything we wanted and never put pressure on us to make an offer on a house that wasn't right for us. In fact, Cindy does not hesitate to steer you away from a house that she doesn't think is good enough, and we really valued her transparency and care! Cindy's team is quick to respond and jump on opportunities, and they're creative with the offers they make; ours wasn't the highest offer but we still w...
    — Lauren
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Cindy Raney & Team is the elite, boutique real estate team in Fairfield County. They are extremely well versed in the industry, having sold over half a billion dollars in luxury real estate. Cindy’s team is particularly focused on the client experience, helping them throughout the home buying or selling process to ensure that their experience with the team is exceptional.

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Cindy Raney & Team

Phone

(203) 625-1025

Email

[email protected]

Address

355 Riverside Avenue Westport, CT 06880

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