Tool
What should I do before I list, and when?
A dated, checkable plan that counts back from your list date: what to repair, what to remove, what to paper, and what to leave alone.
Where this comes from
The plan is general preparation practice, ordered the way a merchandiser would order it: decide first, fix and edit next, show last. It assumes about ten weeks and compresses sensibly if you have less. Nothing in it predicts what a home will sell for, and the right list for your house is the one you build on a walk-through.
Two items are New Jersey specific. Sellers must give buyers any radon test results and mitigation information when the contract is signed (NJ DEP), and sellers use the state Property Condition Disclosure Statement, which has included a flood risk section since March 20, 2024 (NJ flood disclosure hub). Your checkmarks and date are kept on this device only.
Questions
Questions about this tool
How long before listing should I start preparing?
About ten weeks gives room for paperwork, repairs, painting and styling without rushing. With less time, do the planning and paperwork items first and combine the rest.
Should I renovate before I sell?
Usually the useful work is smaller: repairs, cleaning, editing what is on show and neutral paint. A large renovation is a decision to make with numbers in front of you, not a default.
Do New Jersey sellers have to give buyers radon results?
Yes. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection guidance says the seller must give the buyer a copy of any radon test results and information on any mitigation when the contract of sale is signed.
Next step
Tell me what you're trying to do.
Whether you're two years out or listing next month, a conversation costs nothing and usually clarifies more than a search ever will.