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How to Sell a Home in Union, Kentucky: A Step-by-Step Guide
Every step of a Union home sale in order, from your first price check to the closing table, with current local numbers, the Kentucky paperwork and what your listing agent handles at each stage.
Key takeaways
- Union resale homes went under contract in a median of 14 days in July to September 2026, at 97.1% of their original list price.
- Price from recent closed sales near you, not from online estimates or asking prices.
- Most Kentucky sellers complete the Seller’s Disclosure of Property Condition form before listing, so start it early.
- Kentucky charges a deed transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of the price, which is $500 on a $500,000 sale (the current Union median).
- Compare offers on what you keep after costs and how likely they are to close, not on price alone.
- A listing agent runs every step below for you. If you are thinking about selling on your own, compare what an agent would do and what it would cost first, so you decide with the full picture.
The sale in seven steps
Here is the whole sale in order, and what your listing agent does at each step.
- Know your numberYour agent prices the home from what similar homes nearby actually sold for, adjusted for your updates and lot.
- Set your timelineTogether you decide when you need to be out and how to line up your next home.
- Prepare the homeYour agent tells you which repairs pay back and which to skip, and books the photographer.
- Complete the disclosureYou fill in the Kentucky seller’s disclosure with your agent’s guidance and gather HOA, warranty and permit records.
- Price and launchYour agent launches the home on the MLS with photos, video and a plan for the first two weeks, when interest peaks.
- Negotiate offers and inspectionYour agent compares offers on net proceeds and terms, then negotiates the inspection and appraisal.
- CloseYour agent and the title company line up the deed, payoff and transfer tax so you sign once and hand over the keys.
How long it takes in Union right now
Time on the market is usually the shortest part of a Union sale. The work before listing and the weeks between contract and closing take longer, so plan around all three.
| Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing to list | 1 to 4 weeks | Pricing review, repairs, cleaning, disclosure form, photos and video |
| On the market | Median of 14 days to a contract (July to September 2026) | Showings, feedback, offers and negotiation |
| Under contract | About 30 to 45 days for a financed buyer | Inspection, appraisal, the buyer’s loan approval and the title search |
| Closing | One appointment | Deed signed, mortgage paid off, proceeds sent to you |
Northern Kentucky MLS, resale homes in Union, July to September 2026. Refreshed October 19, 2026.
Step 1: Know your number before you list
Online estimates are a starting point, not a price. They can’t see your updates, your lot or the condition of the homes they compare you to, and in a subdivision with several floor plans they often mix up the plans.
The most reliable guide is what homes like yours actually sold for in the last few months, adjusted for size, condition, updates and lot. That is what a buyer’s appraiser will use too.
New construction is part of your competition in Union. New homes sold for a median of $500,000 in July to September 2026, against $500,000 for resale homes, so buyers often compare your home with a builder’s incentives.
- Start with our instant report for a quick range based on recent local sales.
- Before you list, have a listing agent walk through the home and build a full pricing review that accounts for what you have updated.
- Your agent also weighs the homes for sale now: they are what buyers will compare yours with this week.
Step 2: Set your timeline and plan your next move
If you are buying another home, decide early whether you will sell first, buy first or line the two up on the same day. Each choice has different costs and risks.
- Selling first gives you a firm budget and a stronger offer on your next home, but you may need a short-term place to live.
- Buying first means one move, but you may carry two payments or need a bridge loan.
- A post-closing occupancy agreement can let you stay in the home for a short, agreed period after closing. It is negotiated in the contract.
- Ask your lender about your options before you list, not after you have an offer.
- An agent who handles both sides of a move can time the sale and the purchase together, which is where most of the stress in a move-up sale comes from.
Step 3: Prepare the home
Buyers forgive dated finishes more easily than signs of deferred maintenance. Spend first on the things an inspector will write up and the things that show in photos. A local listing agent knows which updates buyers here pay for and which they ignore, and can save you from spending on the wrong ones.
- Fix leaks, failed caulk, broken fixtures, missing trim and anything that does not work.
- Service the furnace and air conditioning, and keep the receipt for buyers.
- Declutter and depersonalize. Rooms photograph larger with less in them.
- Clean thoroughly, including windows, carpets and the garage.
- Freshen paint where it is scuffed or a bold color.
- A pre-listing inspection is optional. It costs a few hundred dollars and can surface surprises while you still have time to deal with them.
Step 4: Complete the Kentucky seller’s disclosure
Kentucky requires sellers who list a home with a real estate licensee to complete the Seller’s Disclosure of Property Condition form, published by the Kentucky Real Estate Commission (KRS 324.360). Three kinds of sales are exempt: new homes sold with a warranty, sales at auction, and court-supervised foreclosures.
Answer every question to the best of your knowledge. The form describes what you know about the home. It is not a warranty, and leaving known problems off it creates far more trouble than disclosing them. Your agent walks you through the form so nothing is missed or worded in a way that causes trouble later.
- Have repair invoices, warranties and permit records ready for the questions about the roof, systems and water.
- Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead-based paint disclosure.
- If your subdivision has a homeowners association, request its covenants, dues and any upcoming assessments now. Buyers will ask.
Step 5: Price and launch
Union resale homes sold for 97.1% of their original list price in July to September 2026, with 2.8 months of supply, a seller's market. A home priced in line with recent sales tends to get its strongest interest in the first two weeks.
A price set high to leave room usually costs more than it gains: buyers skip the home, it sits, and the eventual reduction invites lower offers.
- Professional photography, video and a 3D tour, ready on the first day.
- Exposure on the MLS, which reaches local buyer’s agents and feeds the major home search sites.
- An agreed plan for reviewing feedback and price at set points, decided before you list.
- Showings scheduled and confirmed through each buyer’s agent, and an offer deadline when interest is strong.
Step 6: Offers, inspection and appraisal
The highest price is not always the best offer. Your agent compares what you would keep after costs and credits, the financing and how likely it is to close, the inspection and appraisal terms, and the closing date, then negotiates on your behalf.
- Inspection: the buyer’s inspector reports, and the buyer can ask for repairs or a credit. Credits are often simpler than repairs before closing.
- Appraisal: financed buyers need the home to appraise at or near the price. If it comes in low, the options are a price change, the buyer covering the gap, or meeting in between.
- Loan approval and title: your agent and the title company track these deadlines so nothing lapses.
Why sellers hire a listing agent
Most of the money in a sale is won or lost in the pricing, the first two weeks on the market and the negotiation after the inspection. Those are the parts a seller sees once every several years and a full-time listing agent handles all the time.
- Pricing from closed sales and current competition, not a guess or an online estimate.
- Marketing built to reach active buyers: the MLS, professional media and targeted advertising.
- Showings confirmed through the buyer’s agent and handled around your schedule, with financing checked before offers are weighed.
- Negotiation by someone who is not emotionally attached to the house.
- Contract, disclosure and deadline management, which is where most of the legal risk in a sale sits.
- One point of contact for the buyer’s agent, lender, inspector, appraiser and title company.
What about selling on your own?
Some owners consider selling the home themselves to save the commission. In practice the seller takes on the pricing, marketing, showings, negotiation and paperwork, without the MLS unless they pay a service to enter the listing, and many buyers arrive with their own agent anyway. A home that is priced wrong or sits on the market can cost far more than the commission it was meant to save.
If you are weighing it, talk to us first. We will show you what Union homes like yours have sold for and what we would do to sell yours, with no obligation.
Step 7: Closing in Kentucky
A title company or closing attorney handles the closing. You sign the deed, your mortgage is paid off from the proceeds, and the rest is wired or sent to you. You can often sign ahead of time if you cannot attend.
| Cost | How it works |
|---|---|
| Mortgage payoff | Paid from the proceeds, including interest to the payoff date |
| Deed transfer tax | $0.50 per $500 of the price, $500 on a $500,000 sale |
| Real estate commission | Set in your listing agreement and negotiable |
| Property taxes | Prorated between you and the buyer to the closing date |
| Deed preparation and title fees | Set by the title company or attorney |
| Agreed credits | Any inspection or closing cost credits in the contract |
This is a general guide, not legal or tax advice. Your title company or attorney will give you the exact figures before closing.
Mistakes we see most often
- Pricing from an online estimate or a neighbor’s asking price.
- Listing before the repairs and photos are done, and losing the first two weeks.
- Leaving the disclosure until there is an offer.
- Judging offers on price alone.
- Not planning where you will live between closing and your next home.
- Going without an agent to save the commission, without a plan for pricing, marketing and the contract.
Questions sellers ask
How long does it take to sell a home in Union?
Union resale homes went under contract in a median of 14 days in July to September 2026. Add one to four weeks to prepare before listing and about 30 to 45 days from contract to closing for a financed buyer.
What does a seller pay at closing in Kentucky?
Usually the mortgage payoff, the deed transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of the price, the real estate commission set in the listing agreement, a share of property taxes prorated to closing, deed and title fees, and any credits agreed with the buyer.
Do I have to fill out a disclosure form in Kentucky?
Sellers who list a home with a real estate licensee must complete the Kentucky Real Estate Commission’s Seller’s Disclosure of Property Condition form. Three kinds of sales are exempt: new homes sold with a warranty, sales at auction, and court-supervised foreclosures.
Do I need a real estate agent to sell my house in Union?
Kentucky doesn’t require one. A listing agent prices the home from closed sales, markets it on the MLS, coordinates showings with buyers’ agents, negotiates the offer and inspection, and manages the contract deadlines. We are The Caldwell Group at eXp Realty: we have sold homes in Union for years and would be glad to walk you through what we would do for yours.
Should I sell my house before buying another one?
Selling first gives you a firm budget and a stronger offer on the next home; buying first saves a second move but can mean two payments. Talk to your lender first, and ask about a post-closing occupancy agreement if you need a little time after closing.
From The Caldwell Group
Sell your Union home with a team that knows this market
A Union sale runs through pricing, marketing, showings, negotiation, inspection, appraisal and a closing with Kentucky paperwork. A listing agent manages all of it, protects your price at each step and keeps the deadlines from slipping, so you can focus on your move.
The Caldwell Group | eXp Realty has closed 230 Union homes since 2005, 88 of them for sellers, and has helped more than 2,600 families across Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. We price from real sales, market the home properly and handle every deadline through closing.
Dianna has helped us buy & sell multiple houses over the last 18 years. Her & her team make it as smooth as it could possibly be. Honest, available, professional and charismatic are just some of the words that come to mind. Thank you again Dianna, for helping us through the years!
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