How a Realtor Prepares Their Own Home for Sale

How a Realtor Prepares Their Own Home for Sale | Expert Tips

Preparing your home for sale can be daunting, but with careful planning and follow-through, it will pay off. As a homeowner and Realtor with over two decades of experience, I understand what buyers are looking for. The reality is that most homes are not “show-ready,” and sellers will need to put in some work if they want to sell their home for top dollar in the shortest amount of time.   

However, how much work a seller needs to do will vary, some may only need to make a few adjustments, while others might have an extensive list of tasks. If I decided to sell my home I know exactly what I would do to get my home show ready. While I could certainly list my house as-is, I know that doing a few simple things before listing would make the home selling process much easier. So for me, it would be well worth every minute and every penny. Many of the things I would do are the same recommendations I frequently give to home sellers.

10 Things I’d Do to Prepare My Own Home for Sale

1. Paint for a Fresh, Neutral Look
One of the most cost-effective ways to enhance your home’s appeal is to give it a fresh coat of paint. I highly recommend opting for a neutral color, like soft white, for several reasons. Neutral paint can make your home appear larger, brighter, and cleaner.

It also makes it easier for potential buyers to envision their own furniture and decor in the space. Plus, most buyers can live with neutral paint, so it would be one less thing for thing to do, which is a definite advantage. Painting truly is a simple yet powerful step in home selling that can significantly impact first impressions.

2. Remove Personal Decor
Personal items such as family photos, unique art pieces, and personal collections should be packed away. While these items make your house feel like a home to you, they can make it difficult for buyers to picture themselves living there. So it’s always best to have a clean, depersonalized space.

3. Remove Fixtures You Want to Keep
Before listing your home, take the time to remove any fixtures or items you want to keep. This could include appliances, window treatments, or light fixtures that may hold sentimental value.

Yes, you can certainly “exclude” them from the sale, but oftentimes buyers will inevitably want what they can’t have. So replacing these items with neutral, buyer-friendly options ahead of time will prevent misunderstandings during the home selling process and be one less thing that needs to be negotiated or discussed.

4. Make Sure There Are No Signs of Pets
While pets are beloved family members, not all potential buyers are pet lovers. Remove any signs of pets from your home, including pet hair, litter boxes, food dishes, beds, and toys. Thoroughly clean and deodorize to eliminate any pet odors.

This step is particularly important for buyers with allergies or those who prefer pet-free homes. If you have pets that can’t be removed for showings, such as snakes or bunnies, consider making temporary housing arrangements for them while your home is actively on the market.

5. Have a Pre-Listing Inspection
Scheduling a pre-listing inspection can identify any potential issues that might arise during the buyer’s inspection. By knowing about issues beforehand you won’t have to stress and wonder what the buyer’s inspector will find. Additionally, a pre-listing inspection report can be a valuable marketing tool, showcasing your home’s transparency and condition to potential buyers.

How a Realtor Prepares Their Own Home for Sale | Curious about how a Realtor prepares their own home for sale? Check out these expert tips and strategies to get your home market-ready. #realestate #homeselling

6. Make All Needed Repairs
Once you have the inspection report, prioritize making all necessary repairs. This could include fixing leaky faucets, repairing broken roof tiles, cleaning AC coils, and ensuring all appliances are in working order. Addressing these issues will eliminate further negotiations with the buyer for repairs or repair credits. It will also reassure buyers, as they won’t have to worry about fixing anything themselves

7. Address Curb Appeal
First impressions matter, especially when selling your home. Enhance your home’s curb appeal by removing weeds, adding fresh mulch to garden beds, trimming trees and shrubs, and pressure washing the exterior. Ensure your lawn is well-maintained and consider adding some potted plants or colorful flowers to create an inviting entrance. A well-kept exterior sets a positive tone for what buyers can expect inside.

8. Deep Clean Every Inch
A deep clean is a must when preparing your home for sale. This includes cleaning inside all cabinetry, appliances, and even tile grout on the floors and showers.

Pay special attention to often-overlooked areas like baseboards, ceiling fans, and windows. A spotless home not only looks more appealing but also signals to buyers that the property has been well-cared for.

9. Pack and Pare Down Items
Start packing early and pare down your belongings. Cluttered spaces can make rooms feel smaller and distract buyers from the home’s features.

So you’ll want to box up clothing, extra furniture, and non-essential belongings, such as books, knick-knacks, and games. Depending on how many boxes you have, you may need to rent a storage unit. The goal is to pare down, not just transfer items from the open into boxes.

Clutter is still clutter, even if it’s boxed up. While this may seem extreme, remember that you will have to pack eventually. Doing this before listing will make moving much easier. It will also help buyers focus on the space, and not your “things.”

10. Gather Important Documents
Organize all important documents related to your home, including warranties, manuals, HOA documents, receipts for recent repairs, and a list of upgrades. If you have the floor plan and survey, those could be useful as well. Having these documents readily available provides buyers with valuable information and helps streamline the closing process.

Marketing Tips for Selling Real Estate

Now that your home is show-ready, it must be showcased in the best possible light to attract as many buyers as possible. Here are some key marketing strategies for your home:

Home Staging
Even after preparing your home for sale, it may still need some tweaking. Your Realtor or a professional home stager can provide valuable insight for potential changes. Since many people are visual, every room must have a great flow. Is your sofa in the best position? Would a round dining table work better than a rectangular one? Sometimes the smallest changes have the biggest impact.

Professional Photography
High-quality photos are no longer optional, they are a must and a top Realtor will hire a professional photographer who specializes in real estate photography to capture your home in its best light. Quality photos can significantly increase interest and will lead to more showings.

Detailed Listing Description
Most buyers will look at a listing’s photographs and if they like what they see, they will read the listing description, so it must be detailed. Simply stating a “3/2/2 in a highly desirable area” is no longer enough, especially for buyers who may not be familiar with the area.

It’s important to highlight not only the home’s interior and exterior features but also the neighborhood’s amenities. Mention proximity to transportation, shopping, and top-rated schools. Ensure the listing description your Realtor writes showcases everything your home and area have to offer.

Online Listings and Social Media
Your home being listed in the MLS isn’t enough anymore. Sure the MLS listing will be syndicated to hundreds of websites, but with all of the social media platforms there is a new and better way to get in front of prospective homebuyers.

So make sure the listing agent you hire to sell your home utilizes all of the popular social media platforms to reach a wider audience and not rely solely on the MLS.

Property Access Tips

Accessibility
If a prospective buyer can’t see your home they can’t buy it, so it’s important to make your home easily accessible. If you work from home or have pets that need to be removed for showings try making alternative arrangements before listing your home for sale. Maybe you can work from the library or a friend’s house. Maybe your neighbor or friend can watch your pet when you’re not home. Another viable option might be to hire a petsitter to remove your pet(s) for showings.

Showings Instructions
Try making it as easy as possible to view your home. Even if you need 2-3 hours notice I never recommend mentioning that in the MLS. Sometimes if a buyer’s agent is showing multiple properties and they see “2-3 hour notice” or “pet on premise needs to be removed” they’ll bypass showing that property because it’s not considered “easy.”

Obtaining Showings Instructions
Not only do you need to make it easy to view your home your listing agent needs to make it just as easy to obtain showing instructions. As a seller, I highly recommend finding out how your agent handles showing requests/appointments.

Do they make it easy for other agents to obtain showing instructions and schedule an appointment to view your home? Will it take hours to track your agent down to schedule an appoingment?

The technology is in place to make it easy to obtain showing instructions and schedule an appointment. One of the most popular tools agents can use is ShowingTime, where a buyer’s agent can request an appointment online and the listing agent and/or seller can approve the appointment right from their phone. So a buyer’s agent should never have to track down your agent to schedule an appointment, there is no reason.

Disappear for Showings
Sellers should never be home during a showing. Even if you have nowhere to go, you can sit in your car down the block or go for a walk. A seller being present can make buyers uncomfortable, diverting their focus from the home to you. If you think meeting the buyer and showing them your home will sell it faster that most likely won’t happen. If you want to see firsthand if a buyer likes your home that won’t happen either. Most buyers will be polite and say nice things even if they dislike the house. I’ve seen this countless times where buyers felt awkward, distracted, and unable to focus on the home or give genuine feedback.

Additionally, unless you have a massive estate home, there is no need for the listing agent to attend showings either. If you’re concerned about the safety of your belongings, remove them from your home before listing instead of relying on the agent’s presence for protection. After all, if someone really wanted something you have they can come back at another time when nobody is around.

Houses often sell themselves, and buyers don’t need the listing agent to point out obvious features like the tile floor or the split floorplan. Give the buyer and their agent privacy, I assure you if they have questions they will ask.

Final Thoughts

Selling your home is no small feat, but by following these top tips for how a Realtor would prepare their own home for sale, you can ensure your home is market-ready and appealing to potential buyers. From freshening up with neutral paint to highlighting your home’s best features, each step plays an important role in maximizing your home’s value and attractiveness. Remember, the goal is to create a space where buyers can envision their own lives unfolding. By taking these proactive steps, you’ll not only enhance your home’s appeal but also increase its chances of selling quickly and for top dollar.

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How a Realtor Prepares Their Own Home for Sale | Curious about how a Realtor prepares their own home for sale? Check out these expert tips and strategies to get your home market-ready. #realestate #homeselling

About the Author

Top Wellington Realtor, Michelle Gibson, wrote: “How a Realtor Prepares Their Own Home for Sale | Expert Tips”

Michelle has been specializing in residential real estate since 2001 throughout Wellington Florida and the surrounding area. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or rent she will guide you through the entire real estate transaction. If you’re ready to put Michelle’s knowledge and expertise to work for you call or e-mail her today.

Areas of service include Wellington, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Greenacres, and more.

How a Realtor Prepares Their Own Home for Sale | Expert Tips