Getting ready to list?

What are some to-dos before listing a house. Is there a season better than others to list? Any advice welcome. TIA

Re: Getting ready to list?

1) Gather key paperwork - deed, survey, etc., including C/Os (verify all C/Os are in place)

2) Have a real estate agent (or several) come in to give you a market analysis and opinion on home value

3) Clean and declutter; make any necessary repairs (even minor things like loose handrails and adding smoke/CO detectors). Neutralize your décor (if you have a lot of personal photos, religious artifacts, taste-specific artwork, etc.).

4) Develop a plan for where you will go when you sell. If you can be flexible with terms (and most buyers want to close asap), you are more likely to get top dollar then if you need an extended closing date while you try to find a new home. Can you stay with family? Rent (short term or for a year?)

As far as timing, I am a big believer that the "right" time to list is when you need to sell. There are always buyers looking. True, there are usually more buyers out in the early spring and early fall then say mid-winter, but you get a lot of lookers who are early in their search in the spring, whereas the buyers who look over the holidays and through snowstorms are usually the serious, motivated, ready buyers. Right now, rates are still pretty low, and demand is still high, but there isn't a lot of inventory on the market (compared to the last couple of years). So there is pent up demand, and homes that are listed now (and priced right) are selling very quickly.

So I wouldn't overthink it in terms of when to list. I would list when you are ready (but I wouldn't list right before a holiday weekend or something like that... you want maximum impact when you hit the market!)

Re: Getting ready to list?

We are planning to do a few things that were on our inspection list.

We wanted to do the stairs in the back just to make sure they were sound. Should we also regrade the walkways? They slope toward the house. We are planning to seal coat the driveway because especially after this winter it needs it.