Buyers decide quickly. The work you do before listing day is what makes them decide in your favor.
I'm Cameron Smith, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty New Orleans. My background is in marketing, and I approach every listing the way a marketer approaches a launch: preparation first, because first impressions can't be re-run. This checklist is the same one I walk through with my sellers — use it whether you're listing next month or next year.
90 to 30 days out: the groundwork
-
Walk your curb like a buyer
Stand across the street and look at your home the way a stranger would. Pressure-wash the walk, refresh the door paint, tidy the landscaping. In New Orleans, where porches and facades carry so much character, curb appeal is your opening argument.
-
Fix the small, visible things
Dripping faucets, sticking doors, cracked switch plates, scuffed baseboards. Individually minor — together they tell buyers "this home has been maintained" or "start a repair list." Hold off on big-ticket renovations until we've talked; many don't return their cost.
-
Declutter and depersonalize, room by room
Buyers need to picture their life in your rooms. Clear counters, thin out closets (they will open them), and pack away the personal gallery wall. One room a weekend and it's done without the panic.
-
Gather your paperwork early
Roof age and documentation, insurance claim history, termite contract and inspection reports, permits and receipts for any work you've done. Deals in this market stall on paperwork more often than on price.
In New Orleans
Expect every buyer's insurer to ask about your roof — age, condition, documentation — before anything else. And keep your termite contract current and transferable: a clean wood-destroying-insect report is practically a closing document here. Owning a historic-district home? Pull together records of any exterior work and approvals now.
30 days to one week out: presentation
-
Deep clean like it's a hotel
Windows, grout, baseboards, ceiling fans, that one vent everyone forgets. A spotless home photographs better, shows better, and quietly tells buyers the rest of the house has been cared for too.
-
Stage the rooms that sell the house
Living room, primary bedroom, kitchen. Light staging — furniture placement, lamps on, fresh linens — usually does the job. Full professional staging is worth discussing for vacant homes.
-
Plan photography like a product launch
Your photos are your first showing — most buyers will decide online whether your home deserves a visit. Professional photography and video aren't extras; they're the campaign. We schedule them for the time of day your home looks its best.
"Your photos are your first showing. Most buyers decide online whether your home deserves a visit."
List week: strategy
-
Price on evidence, not emotion
The right number comes from current block-by-block comps and buyer behavior — not an online estimate, and not what a neighbor got two years ago. Pricing is the single biggest marketing decision you'll make: it determines who even sees your listing.
-
Make showings effortless
Flexible showing windows, a plan for pets, lights on, blinds open. Every showing you make easy is a buyer you didn't lose.
-
Launch with a marketing plan, not just a listing
Syndication everywhere buyers search, social promotion, direct outreach to agents with active buyers, and follow-up on every inquiry. A sign in the yard is not a strategy — a coordinated launch is.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I start preparing?
Ideally 60–90 days before you want to list. That's enough time to make repairs without rush pricing, declutter gradually, and get paperwork in order — so the final stretch is just cleaning, photos, and pricing.
What should I fix — and what should I leave alone?
Fix what buyers see and touch in the first five minutes. Leave major renovations for a conversation first: many big-ticket projects don't return their cost at sale, and that money is often better spent on presentation and marketing.
What paperwork will I need to sell in Louisiana?
A Louisiana property disclosure, current termite contract and WDIR, roof and insurance documentation, and permits or receipts for completed work. Having these ready before listing keeps your sale from stalling in escrow.
Is staging worth it?
Decluttering and light staging almost always pay for themselves, because they make your photos better — and photos drive showings. Full staging is case-by-case; it's most valuable for vacant homes.
