When you sell a house, most delays come from price, paperwork, and weak photos, not the market. A properly prepared listing with a price backed by two or three real neighborhood comparisons and documents verified in advance shortens the time to signing and eliminates last-minute surprises. Below are the concrete steps, in the order they should be done.
This guide is for private sellers and small companies who want to list on their own, without an intermediary. You'll find pricing criteria for apartments and land, the document checklist for the notary, what photos should show, how to conduct a viewing, and where the most common bottlenecks appear. Each section can be read separately, but the order below follows the real path of a sale: decision, preparation, listing, viewings, negotiation, paperwork. If you're selling in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, or Timișoara, the differences are mainly in neighborhood demand and property type, not procedure.
- The price is set after 3-5 comparable listings sold or recently withdrawn from the market, not after the price neighbors are asking.
- Prepare documents before listing: land registry registration, cadastral documentation, tax certificate, energy certificate, land registry extract.
- Photos and description answer the questions buyers ask on the phone, so you don't lose viewings.
- Negotiation is based on verifiable criteria: age, floor, orientation, condition, not emotional reactions.
How to set the right price when you sell a house
Price is set by comparison, not estimation. Look for 5-8 active listings and 3-5 recent transactions in the same neighborhood, with similar size and the same property type. Note the price per square meter for each and calculate the range where most fall.
The differences that matter most in the Romanian market are floor and elevator in old buildings, year of construction, heating type, orientation, and condition of finishes. A two-room apartment on the 3rd floor of 4, without elevator, in a 1978 building, sells differently than an identical one in a 2015 building with elevator and parking. Never compare one property to another by size alone.
For land, the calculation is different. What matters is street frontage, utilities at the property line, zoning regulations from PUG or PUZ, whether it's inside or outside the city limits, and vehicle access. A 500 sqm plot with water, gas, and electricity on the street sells for much more than an identical one without utilities, even in the same commune near the city.
What to do when it's not selling
If in three weeks you haven't received any serious inquiries, the problem is almost always the price or the presentation. Check if the listing appears when searching by neighborhood and price range, if the first three photos are clear, and if the description answers floor, size, year, costs. A 3-5% reduction moves the listing into a new search segment, which brings different views.
What documents to prepare before publishing the listing
Documents are gathered before listing, not after you've found the buyer. The most common bottleneck in selling a house is a missing document discovered on signing day.
Basic checklist
- Land registry extract for authentication, recently obtained, showing the owner, encumbrances, and mortgages.
- Ownership deed: sale-purchase contract, donation contract, certificate of inheritance, or court decision.
- Cadastral documentation and registration, if the property was modified or partitioned.
- Tax certificate from the local tax office, confirming you have no debts.
- Energy performance certificate, mandatory for sale.
- For apartments: certificate from the homeowners' association regarding common expenses.
- For land: site plan, urban planning certificate, and, if applicable, partition documentation.
If the property is jointly owned, all owners must agree and appear at the notary. Situations of unsettled inheritance, with unidentified heirs, are resolved at the notary before listing, otherwise you cannot sign. For verifying the legal status of properties and cadastre, the reference institution is the National Agency for Cadastre and Real Estate Advertising, and official information can be found at drpciv.ro.
What a listing that attracts buyers looks like
A good listing answers the questions buyers will ask on the phone anyway. If you state from the start the usable area, floor, year, heating type, and monthly costs, you filter out the curious and reach serious people faster.
Photos
Photograph in natural light, hold the phone horizontally, shoot from a corner to show the whole room. The first photo should show the living room or the facade, not the bathroom. Clean up, remove personal items, and open the curtains. Ten good photos beat thirty rushed ones.
Description
Write concretely: usable and built area, floor, year, heating type, windows, parking, orientation, distance to metro, school, or market. Mention what isn't perfect, because it will be seen at the viewing anyway. A listing that hides a flaw wastes everyone's time.
Where to publish
On listing platforms, filters by city and neighborhood radius make the difference, because the listing reaches exactly the buyers looking in that area. On EX & GO you can compare prices by neighborhood, see the seller's history, and message directly on the site, and the publishing rules are explained at /ro/rules. Verify phone numbers and go through moderation before publishing, so the listing isn't rejected for technical reasons. post a listing
Sell a house directly or through an agency? Comparison
The choice between direct sale, agency, and listing on a platform depends on your time, the property type, and how well you know the procedure. There's no one-size-fits-all option.
| Criterion | Direct sale | Agency | Platform listing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | No commission, only notary fees | Percentage commission from price | Free listing |
| Time to first viewing | Depends on you | Fast, client portfolio | Depends on listing quality |
| Who filters buyers | You | The agent | You, via platform messages |
| Negotiation | Directly with buyer | Intermediated by agent | Directly with buyer |
| Control over price | Total | Partial, with recommendations | Total |
| Suitable for | Sellers with time and documents ready | Hard-to-sell properties, busy sellers | Private sellers and small companies |
An agency commission is justified when the property has hard-to-explain features, when the owner can't be present at viewings, or when documents need clarification. Otherwise, a well-made listing on a platform with neighborhood filters and seller history covers the same demand.
How to conduct a viewing and what to negotiate
Schedule viewings in 30-minute slots, back to back, so you don't lose people coming from another part of the city. Turn on lights, air out, leave documents on the table, and answer questions without pushing.
What to ask the buyer
Ask if they have pre-approved financing, when they want to move, and if they've seen other properties in the area. The answers show how serious the offer is and whether they need time for bank financing. A buyer with a loan needs a bank appraisal, which adds a few weeks to the process.
Negotiation
Negotiate on criteria, not round numbers. If the offer is below asking price, ask for an earlier signing date or a larger down payment in return. Agree from the start on who pays notary fees and the tax on income from property transfer, to avoid discussions at the end.
The most effective thing you can do before the first viewing is obtain the land registry extract for authentication and the tax certificate. Serious buyers ask for these documents from the first discussion, and if you have them ready, signing moves from uncertainty to a definite timeline.
Steps of selling at the notary in Romania
After you accept the offer, the process has fixed steps. First, the bilateral promise of sale is signed, with down payment and completion deadline, then the authentic sale-purchase contract at the notary.
What happens at the notary
- The notary verifies ownership documents and the land registry extract.
- Notary fees and the tax owed by the seller are calculated.
- The contract is signed, keys are handed over, and a handover protocol is drawn up.
- The new owner is registered in the land registry.
For properties bought with a loan, the bank has its own appraisal and payment process, which overlaps with the notarial one. If you sell as an individual and haven't owned the property for more than a year, the tax on gain from transfer applies according to current tax rules, and details are confirmed at the notary or tax office. For consumer rights in transactions and reporting unfair practices, official information is at anpc.ro.
We see that most buyer questions refer to monthly costs, floor, and document status, not finishes, which confirms that listings that answer these three things from the start receive more serious messages.
Checklist before publishing
- You have 3-5 price comparisons from the same neighborhood and same property type.
- You have the land registry extract for authentication, recently obtained.
- You have the tax certificate with no debts and the energy performance certificate.
- You have the agreement of all owners, in writing if there are multiple.
- You have 8-12 clear photos, taken in natural light, with the living room or facade first.
- The description includes area, floor, year, heating, monthly costs, useful distances.
- You've mentioned what isn't perfect, to avoid wasting time at viewings.
- You've prepared answers for financing, down payment, and move-in timeline.
- You've verified the phone number and read the platform rules at /ro/rules.
- You've agreed who pays notary fees and tax.
If you want to compare the asking price with what's currently listed in your city, you can search on exgo.io and filter by neighborhood radius. houses for sale
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell a house in Romania?
It depends on the price, area, and paperwork. A correctly priced property with documents ready can go from listing to notary signing in a few weeks to two or three months. If the price is above market or documents are missing, the timeline stretches. Buyers with bank loans need extra time for appraisal and approval, which adds to the process.
What documents are needed to sell a house?
You need the ownership deed, the land registry extract for authentication, cadastral documentation and registration, a tax certificate showing no debts, and an energy performance certificate. For apartments, add a certificate from the homeowners' association; for land, add the site plan and urban planning certificate. All are verified by the notary before signing.
Can I sell my house without a real estate agency?
Yes. You can list it yourself, handle viewings, and negotiate directly with the buyer. However, you need time, patience with appointments, and documents ready. Listing platforms with city and neighborhood radius filters let you reach buyers interested in your area without commission.
How do I set the right price for my house?
Compare with active listings and recent transactions in the same neighborhood, with similar size and property type. Calculate the price per square meter for each and identify the majority range. Consider floor, elevator, year, heating, orientation, and condition. A price above the market range blocks the listing, and one far below reduces your gain without necessarily bringing buyers faster.
What fees does the seller pay at the notary?
The seller typically covers the tax on the gain from property transfer, if applicable, and possibly a share of notary fees, depending on the agreement between parties. The notary calculates exact amounts at signing. Agree during negotiation on who pays what to avoid misunderstandings on contract day.
How do I avoid risks when selling a house?
Verify the legal status via land registry extract, use authentic notarial documents, and do not hand over keys before signing the contract. Do not accept payments outside the notarial process and do not sign documents you don't understand. For reporting unfair practices, you can contact consumer protection institutions.
What to do next
If you're selling a house, order matters more than speed. Set the price based on real comparisons, prepare documents before listing, take photos that answer buyer questions, and negotiate on verifiable criteria. Each of these steps shortens the path to the notary and reduces the risk of the transaction stalling on the last day.
Start with the land registry extract and tax certificate, then write the listing. If you want to see what demand looks like in your area, search on exgo.io for similar listings and compare prices per square meter. You also have the support page at exgo.io/ro/support for questions about publishing and moderation. A correct listing with up-to-date documents brings you the right buyers without unnecessary trips.