By Ashley Webber
So, it’s time to sell your home. You know the drill: clean up the mess, pack up your stuff, maybe make a few trips to Value Village to offload the “treasures” you’ve collected over the years. You hear realtors throwing around phrases like “top dollar” and “money in your pocket.” And you’re thinking, can I really do something that’ll make a huge difference in the sale price of my home? Without having to renovate your entire ‘80s-era kitchen or dump a ton of cash into your bathroom, that is?
Good news: Yes, you can! I’ve walked through hundreds of homes with serious, pre-approved buyers, and after so many showings, realtors are kind of like mind readers when it comes to what buyers are thinking. Little changes can make a big impact. So, let’s break it down.
1. First Impressions Matter
You get ONE shot at making a great first impression, and that starts with your listing photos. Forget the blurry iPhone shots from 2014—those aren’t going to cut it. You need professional photos. Lighting, angles, focus—these things matter. If your house looks like it was snapped in a basement by Jeffrey Dahmer, buyers will swipe left faster than they do on Tinder.
Pro Tip: Our team at Calvin Realty covers the cost of professional photos as part of our service to you. You’re welcome.
2. Clutter and Personal Belongings: Put. Them. Away.
Your family photo wall? It might seem harmless, but it can turn into a major distraction for buyers. Case in point: I had a buyer once who was so intrigued by the wall of blended family photos that she went full-on detective mode. She was obsessed. By the end of the showing, she had managed to find the seller on social media, figured out where they worked, and even pieced together why they were selling the house. All of this… because she was trying to figure out who was actually in the pictures and what the family dynamics were.
So, unless you want to end up with a buyer who knows more about your personal life than your best friend, take down the family portraits. Keep it minimal. We want buyers focused on your home, not wondering why your cousin Larry has a different last name or why your stepbrother is sitting awkwardly in every picture.
3. Clean the Damn House
This one’s a no-brainer, but still… Clean the place like you’re about to host a royal visit. Dust bunnies, crumbs, and pet hair are not the vibe. Buyers will judge you—and they will judge your house. A clean home says “I take care of this place” and makes buyers feel like they’re walking into a fresh, well-maintained space. Shampoo the carpets, wipe the baseboards, and don’t forget to clean out the fridge. If you wouldn’t want someone to see it, then it shouldn’t be there.
4. Keep the Lights On During Evening Showings
Nothing says “I’m not ready for company” like a dark house where people are stumbling around trying to find the light switch. Keep those lights on during evening showings. Plus, when buyers see that none of your light bulbs are burnt out, they’ll think, “Wow, this house is on top of things.” Simple, right?
5. Price It Right
Here’s the big one. You can’t just slap a price on your home and hope for the best. If you price it right from the start, you’ll create a feeding frenzy—showings, interest, and buyers competing for your house like it’s the last ticket to a Taylor Swift concert. They’ll be offering their left kidney just to get you to accept their offer. Now that’s the kind of competition you want!
But price it too high, and you’ll end up in the opposite situation. Your home will sit on the market, week after week, like an aging loaf of bread no one wants to buy. It’ll become a stale listing, and guess what? Buyers will smell desperation from a mile away. They’ll wait for you to drop the price multiple times, and by then, they feel like they’re the ones calling the shots. They’ll swoop in and lowball you like they’re getting the deal of the century. Don’t fall into that trap! Price it right, get buyers excited, and watch the offers roll in.
This is where you really need to lean in and trust your realtor’s advice. We’re tracking the market more closely than a hawk eyeing its next meal. Seriously, if we could sell your $350,000 home for $1.5M, we’d be all over it—trust me, we’re on your side. But pricing it right from the start? That’s how we get you the most interest, the most showings, and ultimately, the best offers.
6. Don’t Skip on Furnace and Vent Cleaning
Okay, this one’s a bit of a “why not?” suggestion. If you haven’t had your furnace maintained, and your vents cleaned in 14 years, now’s the time. Buyers want to know that the big-ticket systems in the home are in good shape. Sure, you don’t need to gut the kitchen, but spending a few hundred bucks on furnace cleaning and vent maintenance (especially in the winter months) will give buyers the peace of mind they’re looking for.
Plus, your house will smell fresher than a new car. Win-win.
Pro Tip: If your furnace is 25 years old (or older—yikes!), it’s time to add a furnace service/tune-up to your to-do list. You probably should’ve done it anyway, but hey—now is your chance to get it done. Buyers will 100% stress about budgeting for a new $8,000 furnace when your 30+ year-old model starts to wheeze its last breath. And they’ll be thinking, “All the big systems are about to crap out on me.” But if you have a recent furnace tune-up receipt to show them, they’ll feel 10x more confident about the purchase.
Conclusion
Selling your home doesn’t have to be a stressful, expensive nightmare. With just a few tweaks, you can make your home more appealing to buyers and potentially score top dollar. First impressions matter—so declutter, clean like you’re expecting royalty, and keep the lights on! Most importantly, price it right from the start, and you’ll avoid the “stale listing” trap.
Ready to sell? Want expert advice on how to get top dollar for your home? Reach out today for a free consultation, and let’s make sure your home gets the attention—and the price—it deserves. We have some top notch realtors on our team, here to help every step of the way! Get to work, and let’s turn your home into the hottest listing in YEG!
