July 29, 2025 | Selling
How to Prepare Your Home for Sale
Selling your home is an exciting journey because it means you are now entering into a season of change. However, change can be overwhelming, especially if you are faced with situations that are new to you. This guide on getting your house ready to sell, will help prepare your home for sale, whether you are upsizing, downsizing, moving for the first time, or settling into your forever home.
Getting your home “market-ready” is the first step. It is very rare that a home is listed as-is without even minor updates to increase buyer appeal. A large part of how to sell your house, it is the incorporation of these small changes, such as cleaning, decluttering and staging a home, that not only show the current owners’ pride but also set the tone for a seamless transition.
Creating a Game Plan
One of our best tips for selling your home is to create a solid plan – especially when it comes to any major changes. Working with an experienced real estate agent is the best way to create a smooth transition from your current home into your perfect space.
Before you dive into renovations, it is key to create reasonable expectations and budget when prepping your home. The first thing we always recommend is having a Realtor provide an opinion of value. This is an opportunity to understand where your home is priced based on the current market conditions. It is also a chance for you and your Realtor to do a deep dive into some of the recommended changes to the home before it hits the market. These recommendations will include suggestions such as: cleaning, painting, replacing, and updating etc.
At Capstone, our agents all have different areas of expertise– whether this is rural and agricultural land/farms, residential homes, commercial real estate and or condominium living, we are here to provide different services catered to your specific needs and circumstances.
Selling your home soon? Check out these blogs for more advice.
- Is It The Right Time To Sell My Home- Heres What You Need to Know
- Beyond Four Walls: How to Leverage Community Amenities When Selling Your Home
- Should You Buy or Sell First?
Creating Mass Appeal
By far, one of the most important things to do before selling your house is to remove distractions. Buyers want to be able to visualize themselves in your home, and this doesn’t just apply to the in-person impression it makes. How your home shows in photos is equally important because its online presence is what will draw prospective buyers in.
The first thing to remove from your home in an effort to create a universal impression is anything that is family-related. Think things like: family photos, pet portraits, children’s art, drawings and pictures stuck to the side of the fridge or photos and collectables on bulletin boards or photo strings.
The easiest way to determine if something needs to be taken down is to ask, “Is this meaningful or personal to me?” If the answer is yes, then it likely isn’t an element of universally appealing decor.
How to Declutter Your Home
Once your home is depersonalized, you will begin to declutter it. The best way to do this is to start by taking away some of the decorative elements by setting them aside. Repeat this process until there are no elements sticking out. It is fair to say that when you are living in your home daily, you are less likely to notice the presence of clutter. Seasonal gear, oversized/unnecessary furniture, unnecessary appliances on counters, and stacks of paper and work supplies are some of the common cluttered elements often seen in everyday living that are wise to remove.
Getting Organized
The final step is organizing. Not only will this help your home show better, it will also assist your moving process by keeping things together. As funny as it may seem, it is not uncommon for prospective buyers to open closets and kitchen or bathroom drawers during showings to peek at how you have cared for your personal belongings and check to see how much space they will have in the kitchen cupboards and bedroom closets.
In the process of packing up, you may want to make use of your garage as storage space for the time being while you pack. If this is not available for you, no worries! Then consider asking a family member or friend if they have space to store your belongings or renting out a storage unit until you can comfortably settle into your new home.
Deep Cleaning to the MAX!
Deep cleaning your home is a KEY aspect when prepping for the property to hit the market. Why is it important? There are many reasons.
First, it will only make things easier for you once you begin to empty the house; there will be less to worry about when you are focused on moving out. Second, a clean home is attractive to buyers walking through who will assume, naturally, that you have taken good care of the home.
Great places to start when it comes to cleaning are: washing the windows, dusting the inside of ceiling lights and fan blades, and steam cleaning carpets, wiping down the cabinets, doors, baseboards and trim, and cleaning out all cabinets, drawers, sinks and fridges. If cleaning is a hassle or you simply do not have time to get everything done before hand, we are happy to recommend our personal referral of trusted cleaners in the Wellington area.
If you are unsure where to start when you are getting your home ready to sell, that is totally okay! We created the ultimate moving guide to help you navigate all the steps of moving. Within this guide, you will also find a comprehensive moving and home-selling checklist and various tips and tricks to make your move seamless!
Minor Repairs & Final Touches
Once your home is clean, it allows you to start with a fresh slate while also revealing to you the areas of your home that may need a little bit of love. For families with young children and pets, a fresh coat of paint works wonders to cover staining and damage to the existing paint job. There are many other small repairs that make a huge difference without costing a fortune.
Here are a few of them:
– Repair leaky faucets
– Replace burnt out or mismatched bulbs
– Repair squeaky doors or drawers
– Securing loose fixtures
Even small flaws can be a sign to buyers that simple maintenance has been overlooked by the current owner. Ensuring no simple jobs are missed before listing will set the tone that the home was cared for meticulously.
Stage Your Home (even if you are still living in it!)
Not all homes require staging; however, there are many occasions when staging your home in small or large scale helps the home sell. With an appealing, neutral palette, staging creates a sense of depersonalization and focuses instead on the visual harmony of the home. When staging is done with excellence, it can be the case behind selling.
It may be a daunting task to determine how to stage your home for sale, but contrary to popular belief, you may not have to hire a professional, and all you likely need is a family member or acquaintance to assist you in the process of removing extra, bulky or unwanted pieces. The next step is to make simple, small changes such as using matching crisp bedding, fresh white towels in the bathroom, and allowing the natural light to seep in will help create a welcoming environment.
Already thinking about where you want to live next? Check out these blogs for more advice!
- Where Can I Buy a Hobby Farm Near Toronto?
- How Much Does it Cost to Build a Tiny Home?
- Buying Land in Ontario to Build a House: What to Know
Prepping for Photo and Video
Now, you are getting close to a home that’s ready to hit the market. First things first, you are going to want to spend the afternoon or morning preparing by removing any and all personal items from the home to create a blank canvas.
Following this, you will need to fluff the pillows and make the beds, clear off all bedside counters and any existing surfaces in the bedrooms. Then, tuck away access cords and phone cables so they are not lying on the floor and finally, tuck away all laundry boxes and extra toiletries.
Selling your home? We can help! Reach us by email at info@capstonereps.com or call 519.824.9050.
Ready to Get Started?
Thinking about buying or selling a home in Guelph or Wellington County? Start the conversation with our team today.
