A few months from now, or maybe sooner, you plan to sell your house. And you can think of a million things to do before listing your home that would maybe lead to a better offer: Swap out the damaged laminate for tile, repaint certain rooms to match the rest of the house, fix the landscaping — the more you think about it, the more the mental to-dos mount. Since no one has an unlimited supply of time or money, you need to know which projects are worth tackling and what to leave as is. We’re here to help you prioritize the big stuff with these recommendations for impactful pre-listing tasks that will resonate with buyers, plus a suggestion for materials and paperwork to gather now to help prevent closing delays. As early as a few months before you list, start decluttering your home. If you consider your kids’ toys and art projects, old bathroom toiletries, and stacks of mail — you may realize that you’ve been storing many items that you could re-home or discard right away to prepare for putting the house on the market. A tidy house with clear floors and countertops appears inviting in listing photos and in person, enticing buyers to make a strong offer. “Buyers are usually looking forward to a new lifestyle, not just new walls and doors,” says Kendall Rodesiler, top real estate agent in Toledo, Ohio. “So, if we show them a lifestyle that just feels like clutter and chaos, they’re not going to be interested.” Decluttering… well, it’s not a glamorous job. In fact, you may want to arrange for a dumpster rental if you have large furnishings or entire boxes of junk to toss. But a commitment to thoroughly decluttering the home can go so far as to boost your asking price by more than $2,500, according to a HomeLight’s poll of over 900 top real estate agents nationwide. Follow these steps to get started: If you plan to live in your house while you sell it — as most sellers do — you’ll need to get into a routine of regular cleanings and quick spruce-ups before buyers pop in for showings. However, these tasks will be a lot easier if you deep clean as one of the top things to do before listing your home. Focus on these often-neglected areas so that you’re not dealing with a filthy home later: Consider what other areas of the house haven’t been cleaned in awhile and tackle those places now. According to HomeLight’s research, deep cleaning adds nearly $2,000 in resale value in addition to being a baseline requirement for buyers to view your home. Whether you should take care of major repairs — such as replacing a 25 -year-old roof before selling — is a conversation to have with your real estate agent and evaluate according to your budget. But you can get a head start on making small repairs around the house to make sure everything is in good working order before buyers come through. For example: If you’ve lived in your home for a significant length of time, chances are you have the records or receipts for appliance repairs and upgrades, renovations big and small, as well as services to your HVAC and fireplace. Collect those now to have them ready for your real estate agent, home inspector, and property appraiser. “I always want a list of everything they’ve done since they’ve moved in, or the big things that they’ve done over the last 10 years,” says Rodesiler, who provides potential buyers an itemized list of upgrades and repairs. Unless they’re buying brand-new construction, buyers consider your home “used” and wonder how soon they’ll have to replace or repair something, such as a major appliance. Consider that an estimated 80 million appliances across the United States need service each year. If you can prove that you’ve already spent the time and money to upgrade your home or keep it in top working order, you’re crossing chores off a buyer’s to-do list, making your home more attractive. On the list of things to do before selling your home, put hiring an agent near the top. When to contact a Realtor varies depending on how fast you want to sell and the condition of your home, but generally, reaching out about three months in advance will help you in a number of ways: “I like to be the starting point for clients when they’re considering listing their home,” Rodesiler says. “A lot of times, if they don’t do that first, now they’ve done a bunch of things that weren’t necessary, so it might have wasted time or wasted money.” Companies like HomeLight have made the search for a Realtor or real estate agent even easier and faster by introducing free agent-matching services that elevate top-of-market performers. However you find your agent, be selective in who you pick. Our internal transaction data shows that the top 5% of real estate agents sell homes for as much as 10% more than average. You might feel like you’re intimately familiar with your home, but let’s be honest: there may be issues brewing of which you aren’t aware. Rather than hear about them for the first time with the buyer’s inspection, consider ordering a pre-listing home inspection so you aren’t gobsmacked after you’ve accepted an offer. An inspection will cost you an average of $339, but it can give you peace of mind if you’re concerned about deferred maintenance or big problems lurking. Jennifer Smeltzer, a top real estate agent in Jackson County, MO, suggests obtaining a pre-listing inspection no sooner than two months before listing to be as current as possible while still allowing time for repairs. If you don’t have enough funds to cover repair bills upfront, talk to your agent about selling the home “as is” or consider requesting a cash offer on your home instead. You can start with HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform, which provides cash offers for homes in almost any condition and allows sellers to close in as little as 10 days. A preliminary title report, or “prelim,” is a summary document that tells you, the seller, if there’s anything outstanding on your property before you put your house on the market. In other words, it’s a precautionary report. If you find any liens against the property for unpaid property taxes, HOA fees, child support, another lender, or other reason, you won’t be able to sell the home until you’re settled up and clear the lien. Title issues can take a while to resolve, so it’s best to start that digging as soon as possible. Titling and deed issues delayed 10% of contracts in September 2021 and were related to 4% of canceled contracts. A preliminary title search also reveals deed restrictions, or any limits to the property’s use, such as the type and amount of vehicles allowed on the property — all valuable details that an agent needs to know before listing your home. You’ve likely heard that buyers like turnkey homes or those that are move-in ready. That’s why agents may recommend light renovation projects. “Most buyers have just done all of this work to get their home ready for sale. The last thing they want to do is walk into another set of chores,” says Rodesiler. In general, Rodesiler suggests small updates to make a home feel fresh, such as: However, don’t go overboard. Check with your agent about whether you should, say, replace the crown molding in the living room based on your home’s price point, the neighborhood, and comparable sales. “If it isn’t typical for the neighborhood, then it’s a waste of money,” Rodesiler says. Turn a critical eye on your home’s exterior, as 94% of top real estate agents say that great curb appeal adds resale value. Focus on the most impactful outdoor projects, according to HomeLight’s research: It costs money to sell a home so it’s helpful to have an idea of what those expenses will be prior to listing the property for sale. Sellers typically pay between 6%-10% of the final sale price in closing costs to cover: You won’t know exactly how much you’ll take home until you receive your estimated settlement statement at closing with an itemized breakdown of fees and credits. But to get a ballpark idea of your costs and payout, follow these steps: In today’s fast real estate market, sellers may accept an offer sooner than planned and realize that they have nowhere to go. In September, properties nationwide stayed on the market for 17 days (compared to 21 days one year ago), and 86% of those that closed sold in less than one month. So it’s best to get ahead of where you plan to move next. Due to a low supply of housing inventory, it could take you longer to buy a home than it does to sell your current one. “Is it a short-term rental, staying with family or friends? We have a lot of people living with family and putting their things in storage,” Rodesiler says. “If a seller doesn’t have a contingency plan, they’re just not putting their home on the market until they can get one.” While it takes time to calculate those next moves, knowing what’s ahead — much like preparing your home before listing — can relieve some stress from the process.1. Purge the house of clutter.
2. Deep clean forgotten areas.
3. Tackle neglected maintenance.
4. Gather repair and renovation records.
5. Hire a stellar real estate agent.
6. Consider a pre-sale inspection.
7. Obtain a preliminary title report.
8. Do selective light remodeling.
9. Tidy the lawn and beautify your curb appeal.
10. Estimate your net proceeds.
11. Plan your next move.
