Article 4 · 7 min read
Prepping the home
What actually moves the needle and what to skip.
Declutter, deep clean, neutral paint if walls are yellowed. Do not remodel — you won't recoup it on a 30-day timeline.
01The 50% rule on possessions
Remove half of what's on every flat surface. Half the books, half the counter appliances, half the closet hangers. Homes feel bigger when they look lived-in but not occupied.
02Clean like a new tenant is moving in
Baseboards, grout, oven, inside the fridge. If you can afford one thing, it's a professional deep clean before photos ($250–400).
03Paint the four yellow rooms
Agreeable Gray (Sherwin-Williams 7029) or Alabaster (SW 7008) on walls, white semi-gloss on trim. One paint color throughout the public areas. Whole-house repaint runs $2–4k and is almost always worth it.
Checklist
- Half the possessions boxed and stored
- Professional deep clean booked
- Paint quote: interior semi-gloss trim + single wall color
- All burned-out bulbs replaced with matching-temp LEDs
Want help applying this to your house?
If FSBO turns out not to be the right move for you, we make free cash offers — no obligation. Or sign up for the full toolkit (also free).