How to sell a house: the process from valuation to handing over the keys
Selling a house is not the same as selling an apartment. There are more variables: the land, the utility connections, the access road, and often an emotional value the buyer will not pay for. Below is the whole process — from the first valuation to handing over the keys — including the steps most sellers skip.
1. Valuation and getting the price right
We start with actual transaction data on houses recently sold in the same neighbourhood. In Riga, Jūrmala and the greater Riga area, prices differ even between neighbouring villages, so district averages are misleading.
The asking price is the single most important decision in the process. Price too high and the phone stays quiet during the first few weeks, when interest is at its peak, and you end up cutting the price later — which signals to buyers that something is wrong.
There is one more reason to be realistic. If the buyer is using a mortgage, their bank will order its own independent valuation and check the documents. If that valuation comes in below the agreed price, the deal can stall or the buyer may need a larger down payment. A realistic price from the start reduces that risk.
2. Getting the paperwork in order
Buyers and banks want clarity. Prepare in advance:
- the Land Register certificate (zemesgrāmatas apliecība) and an up-to-date boundary plan;
- the cadastral file for the building and its technical inventory;
- utility contracts for electricity, water, sewerage and gas;
- details of any encumbrances, servitudes and co-owners;
- the certificate of inheritance or the consent of co-owners or a spouse, if the property was inherited or is jointly owned;
- the energy performance certificate, where one is required in your case.
Clean paperwork speeds up the transaction and removes some of the buyer's bargaining arguments. If something is not in order — an extension without a commissioning certificate, for example — it is far better to resolve it before listing than halfway through a deal.
A note on the energy certificate. The requirements are set by Latvia's Building Energy Performance Law, and private houses are subject to exemptions depending on the heating system and the status of the building. Find out at the start of the process whether your house needs one, not in the week of the transaction. If you do have a certificate, a good efficiency class is an argument in negotiations — the buyer sees lower utility bills.
3. Preparation and staging
A house is sold on first impressions. Tidy grounds, clean windows, an orderly yard and a neutral, uncluttered interior bring in more viewings.
A little preparation pays for itself: fresh paint, small repairs done, fewer personal belongings on display. The aim is to let buyers picture the house as theirs, rather than look at your life.
4. Photos, video and the listing description
Most buyers see the house first on their phone. Professional photos taken in daylight are often the difference between ten viewings and two. Houses also benefit from a short video or a floor plan, because these convey the layout in a way individual shots cannot. In winter, add a summer photo so buyers can see the garden.
Photos open the door; the description closes it. A good description states the strengths honestly, answers the most common questions and promises nothing the house does not deliver. Overblown copy leads to disappointment at the viewing and costs you trust. A clear, specific description attracts precisely the buyers the house actually suits.
5. Marketing and viewings
Listing on the main portals is only the beginning. Serious buyers are found through targeted advertising and direct contact with people already searching in that area and price bracket.
We run the viewings, so that you can get on with your day and the buyer is talking to someone who does this work every day.
6. Negotiating price and terms
The first offer is rarely the final one. This is where a good agent earns their fee: knowing when to hold the price, when to concede, and how to structure the deal so it works for both sides.
What matters is not only the number, but the timeline, the up-front payment and the conditions — whether the buyer still has a property to sell, for instance, or is waiting on mortgage approval.
It is worth understanding the difference between a deposit (rokasnauda) and an advance payment (avanss). A deposit secures the deal: if the buyer walks away, the seller keeps it; if the seller walks away, it is usually returned double. An advance payment is simply part of the purchase price and is refunded if the deal falls through. Which of the two appears in your contract determines what happens if either side changes their mind.
7. Tax: what to know in advance
If you sell at a profit, personal income tax on the capital gain applies. Since 1 January 2025 the rate is 25.5% (previously 20%). The tax is charged on the difference between the sale price and the acquisition value, less documented investments made in the property.
There are exemptions. No tax is due, for example, if the property has been registered in the Land Register for more than 60 months and was your declared place of residence for at least 12 consecutive months during that period, or if it was your only real estate for those 60 months. Separate conditions apply where the entire proceeds are reinvested in a functionally similar property within 12 months.
Every situation is different, and for inherited or gifted property the acquisition value is determined separately. This is general information, not tax advice — discuss your case with an accountant or the State Revenue Service (VID) before the transaction, so there are no surprises at filing time.
8. Closing at the notary
Once there is a buyer and the terms are agreed, we prepare the purchase agreement and close the transaction before a notary.
The money usually moves through a bank transaction account (escrow), so that both sides are protected: the buyer's funds are frozen and released to the seller only after ownership has been re-registered in the Land Register in the buyer's name.
How long it takes
A well-prepared house priced correctly in the greater Riga area usually finds a buyer within one to three months. In the higher price brackets, and in winter, it can take longer.
Spring and early autumn are the busiest seasons for houses — buyers want to move before winter or the start of the school year. Winter brings fewer viewings, but the buyers who do come are more serious.
A realistic schedule looks roughly like this:
- one week to get the documents in order;
- one week for preparation and photography;
- the active selling period;
- three to six more weeks from finding a buyer to closing at the notary.
An inflated asking price can stretch this to six months and end in a lower price than you started with. The market has a long memory: a property that hangs around in the listings takes a quiet but very real discount.
The most common mistakes
- Setting the asking price on emotion rather than on transaction data.
- Listing the house before the paperwork and the grounds are sorted.
- Weak photos that cut half your potential viewings.
- Negotiating without a plan, giving away a discount and getting nothing back on timing or terms.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell a house that has not been commissioned for occupancy? You can, but the pool of buyers narrows and the price drops, because banks generally will not lend against such a property. It is often better to sort the paperwork first — we can estimate the cost and the timeline at our first meeting.
Should I wait until spring? Not necessarily. There are fewer listings in winter, which means less competition, and buyers searching in January are searching seriously. If the house and the documents are ready, waiting usually costs more in time than it gains in price.
Who pays the notary and Land Register costs? The state fee for registering ownership in the Land Register is usually paid by the buyer, and notary costs are often split. Rates change, so we calculate the exact figures before the contract is signed.
I already have a buyer. Do I still need an agent? In that case our work is the transaction itself: checking the documents, the contract terms, the escrow arrangement and the deadlines. We agree terms for this kind of transaction support separately.
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Thinking of selling? Start with a free valuation. The rest — from paperwork and photography through to the notary — we can take off your hands.