If selling your home is on your 2025 to-do list, now is the time to start laying the groundwork. Even if you’re not planning to put up the “For Sale” sign tomorrow, taking the right steps ahead of time can make a big difference in your sale price, time on the market and overall sanity.
- Call a Realtor: Seriously – the sooner, the better. A good real estate professional will help you create a custom timeline, prioritize improvements and even connect you with trusted pros for repairs or staging. Think of us as your real estate coach, not just someone who shows up when the photos get taken.
- Declutter like you’re moving (because you are): Start the great cleanout now. Donate, toss or store anything you don’t use regularly. Buyers want to see your home – not your collection of coffee mugs or college memorabilia. This takes the most time, but makes the most difference when it comes to getting your home “show-ready”.
- Tackle that to-do list: Loose doorknobs, dirty air filters, dripping faucets – all the little things you’ve learned to live with? Fix them! They can easily add up in a buyer’s mind and give the impression that bigger issues might be lurking.
- Boost your curb appeal: First impressions matter. Trim shrubs, mulch the beds, touch up peeling paint and power wash the patio. You don’t need a full makeover – just a clean and welcoming look.
- Start thinking like a buyer: Walk through your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. Is it clean, bright, and does it smell fresh? Would you want to tour it? If you’re not 100% sold, push for one last-ditch effort to make it as appealing as you can.
- Gather your paperwork: Warranties, repair receipts, manuals, survey documents – pull it all together now. It saves time later and shows buyers you’ve taken good care of your home.
Selling your home doesn’t have to be stressful. With the help of a Realtor and a bit of planning today, you can enjoy a smoother, faster and more profitable sale tomorrow.
Billy Morris
2025 President of the Lynchburg Association of Realtors
Associate broker at John Stewart Walker Inc.