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Finish cleaning, repairs, and photography before the listing is published.
Greater Rochester, New York
Personal Real Estate Guidance(585) 752-6715
Selling a home
Make a plan before the listing goes live.
What should you fix? How should you price? What happens if an offer looks good but the terms do not? Work through the decisions early so the sale fits your goals.
Before you list
What is worth doing to the house first?
Start with the items that affect condition, buyer confidence, and the first impression. You do not need to renovate everything to prepare for a sale.
Before spending on a major project, ask how it would affect your timeline and likely sale strategy.
Walk through it like a buyer
- List known repairs and maintenance questions, then discuss which ones should be addressed before listing.
- Clear excess belongings, deep clean, and make each room's purpose easy to see.
- Check lighting, paint touch-ups, entryways, landscaping, and the view from the street.
- Gather permits, warranties, service records, and information on upgrades where available.
Room-by-room preparation checklist
Tidy up
- Clear papers and clutter from tables and counters
- Remove worn or extra furniture so each room's purpose is clear
- Straighten bookshelves, closets, and play areas
- Store off-season clothes and box up items you do not need
- Organize the laundry area, workshop, and garden equipment
Clean up
- Clean and deodorize carpets and wash all floors
- Polish furniture and wipe down light fixtures
- Wash windows inside and out, plus window treatments
- Remove cobwebs from walls, sills, and ceilings
- Clean the fireplace, if you have one
Patch up
- Patch and paint walls and ceilings where needed
- Replace burned-out bulbs
- Make sure the furnace, air conditioning, and water heater are working
Finishing touches
- Add fresh flowers or a plant
- Set out table linens and add pillows to beds
- Add lamps to rooms that feel dark
- Arrange pictures to highlight the room's best features
Setting the price
What will buyers compare your home with?
Your asking price shapes who sees the home and how they react. A useful discussion looks at recent comparable sales, current competition, the property's condition, and your timing.
An online estimate cannot see every improvement, repair need, or local market detail. Use it as a starting point for discussion.
Questions to settle together
- Which nearby sales are truly comparable, and where does your home differ?
- What homes will buyers see alongside yours right now?
- What is your ideal timeline given work, school, and other schedules, and what happens if the home does not attract the expected response?
- What proceeds might remain after mortgage payoff, selling costs, and agreed concessions?
Market numbers Linnea reviews with you
- Active residential listings
- Average list price
- Average sale price
- List-to-sale price ratio
- Days on market
- Expired listings
- Overall appreciation or depreciation
Going live
Make it easy for buyers to picture living there.
A clear presentation should show the home honestly and help serious buyers understand its layout and features before they schedule a visit. Plan the launch in four steps.
Details checked
Confirm the property details, room descriptions, features, and included items are accurate.
Showings planned
Plan showing windows and access, including pets, work schedules, and security.
Feedback reviewed
Review feedback and activity together; adjust the strategy if the market is telling you something.
Before each showing
A quick reset before buyers arrive.
Once the home is prepared, keeping it showing-ready comes down to a few last-minute touches. A short routine makes it easier to say yes when a request comes in.
Outside
- Pick up after pets and put away lawn tools, toys, and hoses.
- Clear the driveway and walkways, including snow and ice in winter.
Inside
- Open curtains for daytime showings; close them and turn on lamps for evening showings.
- Open windows briefly to freshen the air.
- Do a quick tidy of counters, floors, and bathrooms.
- Play soft instrumental music.
When offers arrive
Look past the headline price.
The highest number on the page is not necessarily the offer that best matches your priorities. Compare the full terms and the likelihood of reaching closing.
Ask what each term means before accepting or countering an offer.
- Financing
- Financing type, preapproval information, deposit, and proposed closing date.
- Contingencies
- Inspection and financing contingencies, deadlines, and requested concessions.
- Flexibility
- Items the buyer wants included and any flexibility you need for your next move.
- Net proceeds
- Your likely net proceeds after the terms are considered.
From contract to closing
Keep the finish line organized.
Once an agreement is in place, inspections, financing, legal review, and move-out details still need attention. Build a simple calendar of who owes what and when.
Inspection requests
Respond to inspection findings and requests within the deadlines in your agreement.
Appraisal access
Coordinate access for appraisal or other agreed visits.
Utilities and insurance
Keep utilities and insurance in place as advised through closing.
Move-out
Plan the move, remove the items you agreed to remove, and leave the property in the condition required by the contract.
In New York, many residential sellers must provide a Property Condition Disclosure Statement before the buyer signs a binding contract. Exceptions exist. Review your specific obligations with your attorney and agent.
Your next step
Not sure where to start?
You can talk through the property's condition, your timeline, and your goals before deciding when to list.
Discuss Your Selling PlanFor more detail: NAR seller preparation guide · NYS disclosure statement