Thinking about selling
The 30-Day Pre-Listing Plan.
Exactly what to do, and what to skip, in the month before you list. I've renovated six of our own homes and moved twelve times, so most of this I learned the hard way. None of it is expensive. All of it shows up in the photos, the showings and the offers.
- 01
Days 1 to 7
Gather what buyers will ask for
Buyers and their lawyers will ask these questions eventually. Having the answers in a folder before you list means no scrambling in the middle of a deal.
- Find your survey, if you have one, and the deed or title papers
- Pull together permits and final inspections for any additions, finished basements or decks
- List the big updates with years: roof, furnace, air conditioner, water heater, windows
- Find receipts and warranties for anything still under warranty
- Check whether the water heater or furnace is rented, and find the contract
- Note your average monthly gas, hydro and water bills
- Start a few notes on what you love about the house and the street. That becomes your home's story.
- 02
Days 8 to 14
Declutter, and start packing early
Every box you pack now is one less box in moving week, and every cleared surface makes a room look bigger in photos. Getting show-ready is really just getting a head start on the move.
- Go room by room: keep, pack, donate, toss
- Pack out-of-season clothes, extra dishes, books and anything you won't need for two months
- Take out a piece of furniture from any room that feels tight
- Clear kitchen and bathroom counters down to one or two things
- Put away family photos, collections and anything with names on it
- Clear closets to about half full. Buyers open them.
- Book a storage unit or a spot in the garage for the boxes
- 03
Days 15 to 21
Inspect first, then fix what matters
Most deals don't fall apart over price. They fall apart after the buyer's inspection. A pre-listing inspection tells you what a buyer's inspector will find, while you still have time to fix it, price for it or disclose it on your terms.
- Book a pre-listing inspection with a qualified home inspector
- Decide on each finding: fix it, price for it, or disclose it
- Fix the small things buyers notice: dripping taps, sticky doors, loose handles, burnt-out bulbs
- Re-caulk tubs and showers, and touch up scuffed paint
- Repaint any bold or dated walls in a soft neutral
- Match your light bulbs, so every room reads the same colour
- Out front: trim the shrubs, edge the lawn, clean the front door, check the house numbers
- 04
Days 22 to 30
Clean, stage, and get photo-ready
The photos are the first showing, and most buyers decide from them whether to book a second look. The camera catches everything, so this week is about light, space and clean.
- Book a professional deep clean, windows included
- Set up each room for one clear purpose, so buyers know what it's for
- On photo day: blinds open, every light on, cars out of the driveway, bins out of sight
- Hide toiletries, fridge magnets, pet bowls and cords
- Lock away valuables, medications and personal papers before showings
- Plan where you and any pets will go during showings
- Agree on the showing schedule and your list date
What to skip
Big projects rarely pay you back before a sale.
Buyers do value updates. They just value them at today's prices, next to the other homes on their list, and a big project done in a hurry rarely earns back what it cost. Here's what I'd skip, and what I'd do instead.
Skip: A full kitchen renovation
Instead: New cabinet hardware, a bright bulb over the sink, and cleared counters
Skip: New flooring throughout
Instead: Fix or replace only what's damaged, and clean the rest professionally
Skip: Painting in this year's trendy colour
Instead: A soft neutral that lets buyers picture their own things
Skip: Big landscaping projects
Instead: Trimmed shrubs, fresh mulch, an edged lawn and a clean front door
Skip: Replacing things that still work
Instead: Service records that show they've been looked after
When you list with me
Two of these are on me
When I list your home, I pay for the pre-listing inspection and the professional cleaning before photos. I'll also walk through with you and tell you plainly which fixes are worth doing and which aren't. After fifteen years of renovating, I know how much money disappears into a kitchen.
If you have more than 30 days
Start with week one and week two now. Paperwork and decluttering never go to waste, and they make the last two weeks much calmer. Leave the cleaning and staging for the final stretch, so the house is at its best on photo day.
Limits
A general plan, not a home inspection or legal advice. For anything structural, electrical or about permits, ask a qualified inspector, a licensed contractor or the municipality.
Also useful: the net proceeds calculator, to see what you'd keep after the sale, and the Home Return Calculator.
Rather have me walk through it with you? Call or text 226-906-0340.