By Robert Urban, FSBO Veteran, Decluttering Survivor, and Professional Cleaner of Weird Stains
You’ve decided to sell your home without a Realtor. Such a smart move.
No commission. No small talk with agents. No one judging your throw pillows or whispering “dated fixtures” under their breath.
You’re doing this yourself — because you’re brilliant, bold, and have a working internet connection.
But now comes the part that separates the sellers who get offers from the ones whose listings sit untouched like a spicy, sad cheese cube at the end of a potluck:
Preparing your home to actually sell.
This is not the time to wing it. This is the time to stage your house like it’s auditioning for a reality show.
Step 1: Declutter Like a Ruthless Minimalist With a Storage Unit and Nothing to Lose
Let me say this loud for the people in the back:
Your clutter is not charming.
Buyers aren’t there to admire your spoon collection or guess what’s under that pile of mail on the counter.
Your goal is to make your house look:
- Bigger
- Cleaner
- More open
- Like someone could move in tomorrow and not have to battle your Tupperware avalanche
The Rule:
If it doesn’t serve a clear purpose or scream “I’m the reason this house is awesome,” box it up.
Yes, that includes:
- Random cords
- Family photos
- 11 types of shampoo in the shower
- Your collection of “quirky” mugs
You’re not decorating. You’re detoxing.
Step 2: Clean Like Your Life (or at Least Your Equity) Depends on It
This isn’t “we’re having company over” clean.
This is surgical, military white glove inspection-grade, judgmental-stranger clean.
Hit every surface like you’re being graded:
- Baseboards
- Ceiling fans
- Light switches
- Air vents
- Fridge (they will look)
- Toilets (they will judge)
- Windows (natural light is your best friend)
And please — for the love of your asking price — do not mask odors with five plugins and a Febreze grenade. Just actually clean the thing.
Step 3: Fix the Stuff You’ve Been “Meaning to Get To” Since 2019
That wobbly doorknob? The leaky faucet? That weird buzzing sound the light makes when you turn it on with your left hand?
Fix. It.
Buyers assume if they can see one problem, there are ten more they can’t.
You don’t want them walking through your house playing “What Else is Broken?” like it’s a scavenger hunt.
This is your chance to tie up loose ends, not shrug and say “Well, they can deal with that later.”
Because they won’t.
They’ll just lower their offer.
Even with an as-is contract you are leaving money on the table or room for negotiating that you may not necessarily want for easy repairs
Step 4: Neutralize Like You’re Switzerland With a Paintbrush
Your red accent wall may “spark joy,” but to a buyer, it sparks “How much will it cost to repaint this entire room?”
Go neutral. Beige, gray, white — boring works.
Pro Tip:
Don’t paint everything stark white and call it a day. That feels like a rental. Pick a soft, modern tone that says: “This home has potential, but also… peace.”
Bonus: A fresh coat of paint smells like “new” and photographs like a miracle.
Step 5: Curb Appeal Isn’t Just a Buzzword — It’s Your First Impression
Buyers will judge your house before they even get out of the car.
If your yard looks like a wild Florida jungle or your porch light flickers like a horror movie… it doesn’t matter how nice the kitchen is. You’ve already lost them.
Do this:
- Mow the lawn
- Trim the hedges
- Sweep the walkway
- Pressure wash the driveway
- Add a welcome mat that says “Buy This House” (or something less desperate)
Make it look like the kind of place you’d want to come home to… even if you’re already planning on leaving it.
Step 6: Stage It (But Don’t Overdo It)
You don’t need to hire a designer and buy fake bread for the counter.
But you do need to make each space look livable, intentional, and not awkward.
- Dining table? One centerpiece. Not 14 placemats and a candelabra.
- Living room? Arrange furniture so it actually invites conversation.
- Bedrooms? Clean bedding, minimal decor, lamps that work.
- Closets? Half full. Not crammed like a packing challenge.
The Rule:
If it’s weird, broken, personal, or messy — hide it, fix it, or remove it.
Step 7: Take Listing Photos Like You’re Selling a Mansion
No one’s buying your house if the listing photos look like they were taken with a polaroid from the 80s.
This is not the time for blurry phone pics in bad lighting with your finger in the corner.
Best practices:
- Use natural light
- Shoot wide angles
- Tidy every room like it’s a model home
- Turn on lights
- No pets, no people, no shadows that look like ghosts
💡 If you can’t take decent photos yourself, hire someone. It’s worth every penny. No shame- I know I am a crappy photographer myself.
Step 8: Prep the Paperwork Too (Not Just the Pillows)
Before you list, get your ducks in a row:
- Pull your property records
- Have your HOA info handy if applicable
- Get a copy of your survey if you have one
- Prepare a seller disclosure (you’re legally required to be honest, remember?)
- And download a proper FSBO contract — not something your cousin’s coworker sent from “that one time they sold a trailer”
👉 HOYONOW.com has all of that. Contracts. Disclosures. Peace of mind in PDF form.
Final Thought: You Don’t Need a Realtor — You Need a Plan
Preparing your home for a FSBO sale isn’t rocket science.
It’s just effort, strategy, and a little pride sprinkled with Windex.
✅ Declutter like a boss
✅ Clean like company’s coming
✅ Fix the stuff you’ve been avoiding
✅ Make it look good
✅ Smell better than good
✅ Take photos that sell it
✅ Use the right paperwork
You don’t have to pay someone 6% to tell you this – you just need a blog post written by someone who’s already made every mistake and lived to write about it. That would be me.
So take a deep breath.
You’ve got this.
I am rooting for you,
Robert Urban