Selling a home can be a big undertaking, especially if it’s your first time doing so.
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You might be planning to list your home for sale later this year, but that doesn’t mean you should put off getting started on the process until then. There are several steps you can take now that will help prepare you to sell your home later on in the year.
Also see five types of homes that are easiest to sell.
1. Make Repairs and Updates
Paul Epperley, 2025 president of the Greater Forth Worth Association of Realtors, suggested making minor repairs and applying some fresh paint to your home to get it ready to sell. “When you apply a fresh coat of paint or fix and even clean worn-looking items in your home, it allows buyers to picture themselves in the house and not think it will require a lot of work from day one,” he explained.
You can also make other cost-effective updates, such as upgrading light fixtures and light switch covers, to enhance your home’s appearance.
Explore More: 6 Easy and Affordable Home Renovation Tips From Joanna Gaines
2. Get a Pre-Inspection
Discovering hidden issues during your home’s sale can be stressful and expensive, but you may be able to avoid that situation by identifying those issues now.
Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO and broker at Echo Fine Properties, recommended starting with a pre-inspection, which can reveal issues that could complicate your home’s sale. “You want to find the uglies out now,” Lichtenstein said. “Fix them at your cost, rather than having a buyer cancel or dictate to you how to repair with the most expensive quote.”
3. Connect With a Realtor or Real Estate Agent
This is also a good time to connect with a Realtor or real estate agent, who can help you identify projects and upgrades to work on before listing. They can also discuss your budget, planned down payment and plans for your home’s sale.
An experienced real estate professional can help you prepare and can answer questions you might already have.
4. Clean Out Your Home
Decluttering takes time and effort, so focus on decluttering now. “You are going to clean out your closet once it’s under contract,” Lichtenstein explained. “Do it now and make it more spacious and appealing.”
Lichtenstein also recommended making strategic purchases that can enhance your home’s appearance. For example, if you’re planning on buying a new bedspread once you move, buy it now.
5. Check Into Permits
According to Lichtenstein, permitting can be an unexpected issue that can cause a sale to fall through. If outstanding permits are revealed as you sell your home, that sale could potentially fall apart. “You don’t want to be at the closing table and have a buyer walk or the HOA not approve because of an open permit,” he explained.
Contact your town’s or city’s building department to verify there aren’t any open permits on your property. If there are, find out what you’ll need to do to get those permits approved.
6. Consider a Roof Replacement
You may also want to consider replacing your home’s roof.
Lichtenstein explained that he’s seeing roofing issues come up more frequently. “In Florida, roofs often need to be under 15 years of age in order to qualify for insurance, and thus, a mortgage,” he said.
7. Get Preapproved
If you’re planning to buy a new home after you sell, you’ll want to be prepared. “Now is the time to get preapproved for a mortgage, which will give you a realistic budget for your home search and help strengthen your offer,” Epperley said.
He also suggested checking your credit score, so you have time to dispute any errors that you might find. And don’t forget to work on preparing your down payment and gathering any documentation your lender might require.
“Homes can list and sell within days, and buyers who haven’t prepared their financing or understood the market often find themselves scrambling to keep up,” Epperley said.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Things To Do Now To Prepare To Sell Your Home in 2026
