The difference between a house that sells quickly at a strong price and one that sits on the market usually isn’t the house itself. Oftentimes it’s how well the seller prepared before the listing went live. Most people start thinking about preparation a week or two before their agent takes photos. But that doesn’t leave enough time to do the work that actually moves the needle on a listing.
Ninety days gives you enough runway to address the things that matter without the panic of such a compressed timeline. Here’s how to use that window strategically:
Start here because it takes longer than you think (and because everything else you do looks better in a decluttered space). Buyers need to see themselves living in your house. That’s harder to do when every surface is covered with your family photos and accumulated possessions.
Go room by room. If you haven’t used something in a year, it either gets donated, sold, or packed into a storage unit. Closets, cabinets, and the garage all count. Buyers will open closets and look in the pantry. And, yes, they’re going to check out the garage. These spaces need to look spacious and organized, not stuffed to capacity.
Rent a storage unit if you need one. Moving boxes of personal items and excess furniture off-site makes every room feel larger and gives your stager or photographer more to work with.
The monthly cost of a storage unit is negligible compared to the price difference between a cluttered listing and a clean one.
This is the step that most sellers skip (and end up regretting). A pre-listing inspection puts you in the position of knowing exactly what a buyer’s inspector is going to find, which gives you the opportunity to fix issues on your terms and timeline. This means you don’t have to spend time negotiating repairs under the pressure of a pending contract.
It’s important to remember that every house has issues, so don’t stress over normal wear and tear or appliances that are nearing the end of their useful life. If a water heater is fifteen years old but still working, you don’t need to replace it. Now, if the water heater isn’t working properly, you will want to address that as proactively as you can.
Focus on the items that are most likely to concern buyers or their lenders.
If nothing else, having a pre-listing inspection allows you to take inventory of your house and know what is and isn’t wrong. Then when the future buyer has their inspection and asks for a long list of repairs, you can respond with confidence.
The first impression of your house happens before anyone walks through the front door. That’s why curb appeal is one of the most cost-effective investments you can make at this stage. It shapes the buyer’s emotional response before they’ve seen a single room.
Start with the basics:
These tasks cost nothing more than a Saturday afternoon of effort. Yet, they change the entire feel of the house when someone drives by your listing.
Beyond the basics, a few targeted investments go a long way. Fresh mulch in the flower beds gives the landscaping a clean, finished look for under $100 in most yards. Then you could do a couple of potted plants flanking the front door to add color and life. And a new welcome mat and updated house numbers are also very easy and inexpensive.
Look at the exterior with fresh eyes. What does a buyer see when they pull up to the curb for the first time? Fixing these small issues before listing photos and showings ensures the first impression works in your favor.
Your agent will handle the formal marketing once the listing goes live. But generating interest before the listing hits the MLS gives you a head start. This can sometimes produce faster and stronger offers. (Not to mention it can reduce the stress of having a house sitting on the market for weeks or months.)
You don’t have to be forceful or overly self-promoting. Just mention it to your neighbors in casual conversations and tell other friends in the area about it. You might also want to post something on your social media profiles in the weeks leading up. (Just make sure you don’t post your exact address anywhere strangers could see it. Post a picture and have people reach out if they want more details.)
Your agent may also do a “coming soon” marketing push before the official listing date. This builds anticipation and can generate early interest. Discuss this strategy with your agent and make sure the timing aligns with your own timeline.
Looking to sell your Houston home? At Green Residential, we understand the time, effort, and costs that go into preparing to sell a house. That’s why we work hard to make the process as simple and efficient as possible.
The average Houston homeowner ends up paying six percent of their selling price out in commissions – three percent to the selling agent and three percent to the buying agent. That means on a $750,000 house, you’ll end up giving away around $45,000 of your hard-earned equity at the closing table. But at Green Residential, we’re different. We operate on a flat-fee basis that can save you thousands. On a $750,000 house, you’d save around $7,500.
Want to see what your house is worth, and how much you could save by listing your home with Green Residential? Contact us today!
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