Preparing the property

You do not need to remodel. A few smart steps help a property show well and keep a deal from falling apart later.

Do these first

• Clean and clear: remove clutter, old equipment and junk. On land, clear brush and fix gates and fences you can see from the road.
• Fix the small things: leaky faucets, loose handrails, burned-out lights. Buyers read small problems as big ones.
• Make it easy to see: a clear drive, a marked gate and a key plan for showings.

Get the papers together

• Well test or water records, and any water agreements
• Septic records and last service date
• A survey or parcel map, and a list of easements
• Leases, vineyard or grazing contracts, and any Williamson Act papers
• Permits for buildings, additions and wells

Consider a pre-listing check

For an older home or a property with a well and septic, a pre-listing inspection can find problems while you still have time to choose how to handle them. It often costs less than a price cut in the middle of escrow.

What not to spend on

Skip big upgrades chosen to please one buyer. A fresh coat of neutral paint helps. A new kitchen rarely pays back what it costs right before a sale.

Ask me before you spend

I will walk the property and tell you what is worth a few hundred dollars, what is worth a few thousand, and what to leave alone.

Sample copy Dana edits this page to match her advice.

More seller guides

• How we price and market a listing
• Timeline: list to close
• Selling a long-held or inherited property
• Comparing offers
• Taxes when you sell