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The right preparation depends on your home’s condition, the local competition and your timeline. Work through this list room by room, and write down questions for your agent, your attorney or a qualified contractor. You don’t have to fix everything to sell.
On this page: Sort before you spend · Outside and entry · Room by room · Photo day · Paperwork to gather · Hiring a contractor · Showing-day routine · What this checklist is not
1. Sort every item before you spend money
Put each thing you notice into one of four groups:
- Clean: costs time more than money. Do these first.
- Repair: small, ordinary fixes a buyer would notice, such as a dripping tap or a loose handle.
- Get an expert opinion: anything involving water, structure, wiring, heating, the roof, or work that may need a permit.
- Leave for now: cosmetic items, matters of taste, or things a buyer may prefer to choose for themselves.
Ask before spending
- Will buyers notice it, in the photos or in person?
- Is it a repair, or decoration?
- Does the work need a permit?
- Is it a condition you may have to disclose? Fixing a symptom doesn’t settle that question.
- Would a written quote serve you better than doing the work? A buyer can weigh a quote during negotiation.
2. Outside and entry
- Clear the driveway, walkway and front entry
- Trim plants back from walks, windows and the roofline
- Fix obvious trip hazards on steps and paths
- Clear the gutters, only if it’s safe to; otherwise hire it out
- Make sure the house number is easy to read from the street
- Clean the porch, the front door and its hardware
- Keep the lawn and beds tidy for the season
- Test outdoor lights and replace dead bulbs
- Write down any visible exterior damage. Don’t cover it up.
Power-washing isn’t right for every surface. Older paint, wood, some siding and anything near electrical equipment can be damaged. Ask a contractor first.
3. Room by room
Whole home
- Clear surfaces and floors; pack what you won’t need before the move
- Put away family photos and personal items where you reasonably can
- Clean windows and screens
- Replace dead bulbs, and keep bulb colour the same within a room
- Find the source of any odour and remove it, rather than masking it
- Fix small, ordinary problems: sticking doors, loose handles, missing cover plates
- Keep halls, stairs and exits clear
Kitchen
- Clear most of the counters
- Clean the appliances, including inside the oven and the hood filter
- Tighten loose cabinet hardware
- Look into any leak or failed caulk, rather than covering it
- Tidy cabinets and the pantry; buyers open them
Bathrooms
- Clean tile, grout, fixtures and mirrors
- Put everyday toiletries away
- Check the exhaust fan, and look for leaks and damp
- Set out fresh towels, if you like
- Never paint over mold or water stains. Find the cause.
Living areas and bedrooms
- Leave clear walking paths through each room
- Make it obvious what each room is for
- Remove extra furniture
- Tidy closets so buyers can see the space
- Keep fireplaces, windows and built-ins in view
Floors and walls
- Touch up scuffs and nail holes
- Clean carpets and treat pet stains
- Note damaged flooring, and get a price before you decide
Fresh paint or refinished floors can help a home show well, but they don’t always pay for themselves. Ask how similar homes nearby looked when they sold.
Basement, garage and attic
- Clear a path to the boiler or furnace, water heater, electrical panel and water meter
- Store boxes off the floor and away from the walls
- Note any water marks or damp, and their likely cause
4. Photo day
- Every bulb working, and every light on
- Cords and chargers out of sight
- Blinds and curtains set the same way in each room
- Counters, sinks and tubs clear
- Cars out of the driveway, bins out of sight
- Pets, and their bowls, beds and toys, out of the shots
- Toilet lids down, towels straight
5. Paperwork to gather
Buyers, their attorneys and lenders will ask for these. Gathering them now avoids delays after you accept an offer.
- Your deed, and your survey if you have one
- Certificate of occupancy, permits and final sign-offs for past work (see Open Permits & Certificates of Occupancy)
- Service records for the roof, boiler or furnace, and air conditioning
- Warranties and invoices for major work, and manuals for appliances that stay
- Recent utility costs: heating fuel, electric, water
- Your latest property tax bill
- Your mortgage lender’s contact details, for the payoff letter
- Co-op or condo: the managing agent’s contact details and the building’s documents
- Flood insurance and elevation certificate, where they apply
- Long Island homes: oil tank, cesspool or septic, radon and termite records. The full list is in our Pre-Listing Inspection guide. These are Nassau and Suffolk items; most don’t apply in New York City.
The part a checklist can’t do. This checklist is not an inspection, and it isn’t legal advice. New York’s Property Condition Disclosure Statement applies to most sales of one- to four-family houses (co-op apartments and condo units are not covered), and selling a house “as-is” doesn’t remove that duty. Go over them with your own attorney. Don’t hide defects, and don’t make statements about the home you can’t back up. Our NY Property Condition Disclosure guide explains how the statement works.
6. Before you hire a contractor
- A written scope of work and a written estimate
- A licence and insurance, where your county or city requires them
- The permits or approvals the work needs, and who will get them
- How long the work takes, and whether it moves your listing date
- Whether a buyer would rather have the quote than the finished work
7. Showing-day routine
A quick routine before each showing. How long it takes depends on the home; it’s a list, not a stopwatch.
- Open windows if the weather allows
- Remove odours at the source; don’t mask them
- Quick tidy of the kitchen and bathrooms
- Lights on, blinds set
- Lock away medications, valuables, firearms, private papers, keys and devices
- Plan for pets: out of the house, or secured
- Confirm the showing with everyone who lives there
- Set a comfortable temperature
- A clear, safe path to the door, including snow and ice in winter
Renting the home out? Showings must follow the lease, and tenants are entitled to reasonable notice before you enter. Don’t ask tenants to leave, and don’t enter without notice; work it out with your attorney. Our guide to Selling a House With Tenants covers the options.
8. What this checklist is not
- Not a home inspection. A licensed inspector looks at systems and structure: see Pre-Listing Inspection on Long Island.
- Not a valuation. What preparation is worth depends on your market: see What Is a CMA?
- Not legal advice. Disclosure, contracts and tenants are questions for your attorney.
Related: Selling a House As-Is in New York · NY Property Condition Disclosure · Open Permits & COs · Best Month to List · See all seller guides
Not sure which work is worth doing before you list?
Talk to The DeVito Team about preparing your home. In our staging consultation, Joseph walks the home with you and gives you a room-by-room plan before photography.
Discuss preparing your home for sale or call (516) 770-3782
By Joseph DeVito, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker · Last reviewed October 30, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or engineering advice.
The DeVito Team of Keller Williams Realty Greater Nassau
Joseph DeVito, NY Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker
400 Garden City Plaza Ste 438, Garden City, NY 11530 · (516) 770-3782
