Multiple Offers in Two Days: What My Sellers Did Right Before They Ever Listed

When I’m out with buyers, I’m always thinking about the day they’ll call me to sell. Not because I’m rushing past the excitement of finding a home — I love that part!! — but because the choices you make when buying have a direct impact on how your sale goes five or ten years later.

So as I look at homes with my buyers, I’m always asking:

• Is this a home that will be easy to sell?
• Will other buyers love it the way you do?
• Or are we buying something that will be a tough sell, either due to location or floor plan or some other aspect, when the time comes?

Hi, I’m Cari McGee. I’ve helped more than 650 people buy and sell in the Tri-Cities. One of the things I’ve realized along the way is that the decisions you make when you buy a home have a big impact when it’s time to sell.

Troy and Erin’s story is a perfect example of why. They made all the right choices, and when it came time to sell, it showed.

How They Got Here (and Why They Left)

Troy and Erin came to the Tri-Cities from California in 2021 to open an e-bike store. The Tri-Cities was one of their top locations. They visited, fell in love with the area, and made the move.

I helped them buy a home in West Richland for $410,000. It had been listed at $375,000, and we beat out other buyers to get it, which tells you something about what the market looked like then!!

We stayed in touch over the years, and they often shared with me how happy they were. They loved the neighborhood, loved the street, and loved the life they’d built here.

But when it came time for Troy to retire, they decided to head back to California. So in April of this year, we put the house on the market.

Two Days, Multiple Offers, and Sold Above List Price

We listed at $445,000. The home hit the market on April 28th and was under contract by April 30th. Two days!! We received multiple offers and accepted one above asking price at $450,200.

I want to be clear: results like this are never guaranteed! And it’s also true that in the 2026 Tri-Cities housing market, multiple offers and an above-list sale price are not the norm. When it happens, it’s because something went right, usually several things.

What Made This Home So Easy to Sell

In Troy and Erin’s case, a lot went right!!

1. They picked a resale-friendly home.

Single story. Three bedrooms, two baths, plus a separate office. 1,840 square feet. Two-car garage with paved RV and boat parking alongside it. A covered back patio with a built-in counter and barbecue setup, a beautiful stretch of green lawn, and some garden beds. A quarter-acre lot that’s big enough to feel like a yard but still small enough to be manageable.

This was a home with broad appeal, the kind that buyers can picture themselves in as soon as they walk through the door.

2. They took great care of it.

Troy and Erin had dogs and lived fully in the home, but they didn’t live hard in it. You know what I mean — they kept it in good condition.

When they discovered that the primary bath shower had been installed poorly by a previous owner and was beginning to show real problems, they didn’t shrug it off and leave it for the next buyer. They had it completely redone, professionally and correctly. I’d say the house was in better condition when they sold it than when they bought it.

3. They listened to my stager.

Troy was initially reluctant about staging. So I talked to him about why staging is a good idea and asked him to let my stager come through and make suggestions. I told him he had no obligation to do everything she recommended. (You may remember my other case study about my sellers who pocketed an extra $25,000 thanks to staging!)

He agreed to that, and it definitely helped. Buyers want to walk into a home and feel like it’s ready for them. Staging helps make that happen.

What Sellers Can Take From This

Troy and Erin’s result didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of decisions made four years earlier when they bought — and because of how they cared for the home in between.

So if you’re getting ready to sell, ask yourself:

• Did I buy smart?
• Have I maintained the home?
• Are there any issues I know about that I’ve been putting off?

Those answers will play a big role in what your sale looks like. In my experience, the clients who get the best results are almost always the ones who treat their home as both a place to live and an investment.

If you’re thinking about selling in the Tri-Cities, I’d love to talk through where things stand and what your home could do in today’s market. Reach out anytime. I’m ready to help — no pressure and no obligation.

-Cari