Sep 03, 2019 | Flooring Canada
Selling your house is a big deal, and it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed, especially if it’s your first time as a seller. There’s a lot to think about, from finding the right agent to getting every room looking its best. As your friendly flooring team, we’re here to help you break it all down into simple, doable steps.
We’ve put together an easy home selling checklist to help you get your house market-ready, make a great first impression, and move on to your next chapter with less stress. Read on to explore everything you need to know about how to get your house ready to sell.
What should you do before selling your house? It’s one of the most common questions we hear, and it’s a great place to start. The best first step is to take an honest walk through your home, room by room, and look at it the way a buyer would.
Grab a notepad and jot down anything that stands out. Is there a leaky faucet you stopped noticing years ago? Scuffed walls in the hallway? Carpet that’s seen better days in the family room? Making a list now helps you see what needs attention and what can stay as-is.
From there, think about your timeline. If you’re hoping to list in a month, focus on quick wins like cleaning, decluttering, and small fixes. If you have a few months, you’ll have time for bigger updates like new flooring or a fresh coat of paint. Either way, having a plan keeps things from feeling rushed at the last minute.
We’ve laid out our easy checklist for getting your house ready to sell, one simple step at a time. Each step sets you up for the next, so it helps to work through them in order.
Before you make any changes, it helps to know what buyers in your area are looking for. Browse online listings and check out a few open houses nearby to see what similar homes look like, how quickly they’re selling, and which features show up again and again in the homes that move fast. You might notice that updated kitchens, open layouts, or fresh flooring keep coming up.
This research gives you a realistic picture of your competition. It also helps you decide which updates are worth your time and which ones you can skip.
A great real estate agent can make the whole process feel a lot easier. Your agent will help you understand the market, list and show your home, handle the paperwork, and guide you through every offer.
Finding the right agent starts with the people you already know. Ask friends, family, and neighbours who have sold recently who they worked with and how it went. Then, talk to a few agents before you decide. Look for someone who:
Pro Tip: A good agent can also tell you which rooms, including the floors, are worth refreshing before you list.
Decluttering isn’t anyone’s favourite chore, but it’s one of the most helpful things you can do when selling your home. Buyers want to picture their own family settling in, and that’s easier when the shelves and counters aren’t filled with your things.
Start by clearing out what you don’t need. Donate, sell, or toss items you’ve been meaning to get rid of anyway. For things you want to keep but don’t need right now, consider renting a storage unit until you move. Here's a few ways to declutter and depersonalize:
A clean home tells buyers it’s been well-maintained and cared for. Once the clutter is gone, it’s time for a deep clean. This goes beyond your usual weekly tidy up.
Small problems can make buyers wonder what else might be wrong with the house. Take care of easy fixes before you list, such as:
If something in your home needs to be fixed or replaced soon, like an older water heater or roof, talk with your agent about the best approach. In many cases, it’s smart to fix it before listing. If you decide not to, be upfront about it.
A home inspection isn’t required before you list, but a pre-listing home inspection can be really helpful. It lets you spot problems early and fix them on your own schedule, so you’re not caught off guard when the buyer’s inspection comes around.
Flooring is one of the first things buyers notice when they walk through the door. Fresh, clean floors make a home feel move-in ready, while worn, stained, or damaged floors can make buyers think about all the work they’d have to do after moving in.
Focus on the spaces buyers care about most, like the entryway, living room, and kitchen. Here's a few ideas to consider:
A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest ways to make your home feel brand new. Bold colours and dated wallpaper can be hard for buyers to look past. Neutral tones like soft white, warm greige, and light gray help rooms feel bright, clean, and open.
Paint also helps buyers focus on the home itself, instead of picturing all the changes they’d want to make. If you don’t have time to paint every room, start with the main living areas and any walls with scuffs or bright colours.
Pro Tip: If you’re updating your floors too, try to pick paint and flooring colours together so every room feels pulled together.
Buyers form their first impression before they ever step inside, so your home’s exterior should look neat, welcoming, and well cared for. Here are a few simple ways to boost curb appeal:
Pro Tip: Pay special attention to your front door. It’s the first thing buyers touch when they come inside. A fresh coat of paint, a new welcome mat, and shiny hardware can make a big difference. Inside the entryway, make sure the floor is clean and in good shape, since it sets the tone for the rest of the home.
Staging is the process of setting up each room so it looks its best and shows buyers how they could use the space. A well-staged home helps buyers feel at home the moment they walk in.
Some sellers hire a professional home stager, while others stage the home themselves. Either way, a few tips can help:
These days, most buyers start their home search online, so your listing photos are often their very first look at your home. If the photos are small, dark, or blurry, buyers may scroll right past without a second glance.
A professional photographer knows how to show off each room in its best light. Plan your photo shoot for after you’ve finished cleaning, repairs, and staging.
Pro Tip: Floors show up in nearly every shot, so make sure they’re clean and in good shape before the photographer arrives.
Having your paperwork ready can help things move faster once an offer comes in. Pull together any documents buyers might ask about, like:
Here’s a quick recap of the top things to do to your house before selling it:
Selling your home is a big step, but you don’t have to do it alone. Your floors are one of the first things buyers notice when they walk through the door, and they show up in nearly every listing photo.
That’s where we come in. Our friendly team can walk you through options that fit each room, like water-resistant styles for kitchens and baths or soft carpet for bedrooms. We’ll help you pick neutral, timeless looks that appeal to a wide range of buyers. Whether you’re refreshing one room or updating your whole main floor, we’ll work with your timeline so your home is ready before it hits the market. Contact us today, and let’s get your home ready to make a great first impression.
