🏡 Seller’s Corner: 5 Steps to Make Your Home Unforgettable in a Slower Market
When the market is slower, buyers have more options—and your property needs to shine brighter to capture attention. Preparing your home properly can make a huge difference in how quickly it sells and at what price. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get your home in prime condition:
1. Timing & Strategy ⏰
The first step is knowing when to list. Every case is unique—timing can truly affect how your home shows:
- West-facing homes often feel hottest in the summer months, so consider avoiding peak heat when possible.
- North-facing condos may show best in spring and summer, when the added natural light and warmth can make them feel brighter and more inviting.
Once your timeline is set, you’ll know how much time you have to prepare and what steps to prioritize before going live.
2. Declutter, Declutter, Declutter ✨
Just like the saying “location, location, location,” decluttering is step one of prep. The longer we live in a place, the more we accumulate—old textbooks, childhood drawings, or items tucked away in closets. If you haven’t used something in 5+ years, it’s probably time to let it go.
- Sentimental keepsakes? Store them somewhere private so buyers can focus on the home, not your memories.
- Daily essentials? They can stay, but keep them organized and tucked neatly inside cabinets.
- Running out of space? Consider renting a temporary storage locker while your home is on the market.
Buyers don’t expect perfection, but they do want a home that feels open, tidy, and move-in ready.
3. Small Repairs Go a Long Way 🔧
Everyday wear-and-tear is easy to overlook when you live in a home, but buyers notice right away.
- Refresh bathroom grout and silicone.
- Patch small chips or dents in the walls.
- Touch up or replace bubbling baseboards.
- Check for water stains—if it was just a past spill, repair or repaint. If it’s an active leak, get it fixed before listing.
- Mow the lawn and tidy the garden—it doesn’t need to look like VanDusen Garden, just well cared for.
A fresh, well-maintained home signals to buyers that the property has been looked after. A quick walkthrough with your Realtor can also help catch details you may have stopped noticing.
4. Decor & Staging 🎨
Some sellers think a clean and tidy home is enough—but the right staging can completely transform how a property feels. Many clients are blown away when they see the difference: a few carefully chosen pieces, balanced colors, and a touch of shine can make the space feel brand new.
Staging isn’t about hiding flaws—it’s about highlighting potential. Buyers love the experience of walking through a show home; our goal is to recreate that same feeling, even in a resale property.
5. Marketing & Presentation 📸
In today’s market, presentation is non-negotiable. iPhone snapshots just don’t cut it. Professional photography (and sometimes video) ensures your home looks its absolute best online—where the majority of buyers will first encounter it.
✅ Bottom line: In a slower market, you can’t control how many buyers are out there—but you can control how well your property stands out. With the right timing, preparation, staging, and marketing, your home will attract the attention it deserves.
👉 Next month: We’ll share insider tips on what to do right before showings and open houses — the little details that make buyers fall in love the moment they step through the door.