How long does this whole process take, from decision to closing?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
Plan on three to six months when nobody's in crisis — and know that the market is rarely the slow part. The clear-out is.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
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Chris's video answer is on its way. Until then, the short answer above says the same thing.
The transcript posts with the video.
The longer answer
The honest breakdown: sorting a home someone's lived in for decades takes four to eight weeks, and it's emotional work, not just physical. Light prep — cleaning, paint, small fixes — runs two to four weeks. Market time in the Twin Cities varies by season and price, and then closing adds four to six weeks. Communities have their own clocks too; the good ones often have waitlists, which is an argument for starting conversations early rather than fast.
The number that matters isn't the total — it's that the timeline bends to your family's pace, not the other way around. When you're ready, I'll lay out the sequence for your specific situation.
The next department over
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From the editor's desk
“As Founder and Editor, I review, correct, and stand behind every answer.”
Is your situation more specific than the market? That's the one worth talking through.