Ask a Local Realtor: What’s the #1 Thing to Do Before Listing Your Home?
When you’re preparing to sell, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of tasks—cleaning, staging, paperwork, and deciding where you’ll go next. But if you ask a local Realtor like me, what the single most important thing to do before listing your home is, the answer usually comes down to this: shift your mindset from “living” in your home to “selling” your home. This shift lays the groundwork for all the other important steps—depersonalizing, neutralizing without going bland, and keeping a clear record of updates. Here’s what that looks like in practice. Living vs. Selling: Why the Mindset Matters When you’re living in your home, every room is designed for your comfort and daily routine. You might have bold paint colors, family photos lining the walls, or furniture arranged in a way that works for you. But once you decide to sell, the house becomes a product on the market. Buyers need to picture themselves—and their lives—within those walls. Making the mental shift from home...