Prepping Your Home For Sale
Selling in San Francisco isn’t about doing everything — it’s about doing the right things in the right order.
This guide walks through the prep steps that consistently improve first impressions, reduce buyer friction, and lead to stronger outcomes.
The goal of prep
Create clarity, light, and confidence.
Buyers don’t just buy a house — they buy the feeling that the home is cared for, functional, and easy to step into. Prep is how we remove distractions and highlight what matters.
Prep tends to pay off when it improves:
Natural light + openness
Flow and function (how spaces live day-to-day)
Condition confidence (less “unknown” = less negotiation)
Photography + showing impact
The Gary Prep Sequence
We do a walkthrough and sort items into three buckets:
Must-do (risk / obvious buyer objection)
High ROI (visual impact)
Nice-to-have (only if timing + budget allow
Walkthrough & Game Plan
1
Vacate & Prepare for Staging
2
This step is about creating a blank, flexible canvas for buyers.
Sellers typically move out before market prep begins
Personal items and furniture are removed entirely
Spaces are prepared specifically for staging and photography
This allows the home to show its scale, light, and layout — without distraction.
In some cases, partial move-outs or lived-in staging make sense — but most San Francisco homes benefit from a full reset before launch.
Paint & Patch
3
Fresh paint is one of the fastest ways to reset a home.
Patch, sand, and touch-up where buyers will notice
Prioritize entry, main living areas, halls, and any scuffed doors/trim
Lighting & Hardware Refresh
4
Small changes that photograph well and “modernize” fast:
Warm, consistent bulbs (no mixed temperatures)
Swap dated knobs/pulls where it matters (kitchen + baths)
Replace broken switches/plates
Floors & Surfaces
5
Floors and surfaces set the tone for the entire home.
When these elements feel fresh and well cared for, buyers read the home as move-in ready.
Refinish wood floors if they’re tired
Deep clean carpets or replace if worn
Re-caulk tubs/showers and clean grout
Staging (or Styling
6
We stage to fit the buyer profile and your home’s architecture.
Sometimes that’s full staging
Sometimes it’s styling what you own + a few key rentals
Either way, the goal is the same: help buyers understand how the home lives and imagine themselves there.
What We Usually Skip
Not everything pays off before a sale. We often avoid:
Large remodels with long timelines
Over-customization that narrows buyer appeal
Expensive upgrades buyers may still “discount” in their own head
Timeline (typical)
Week 1: walkthrough, plan, vendors booked
Week 2: declutter, paint, small repairs
Week 3: floors + deep clean + staging
Go-live: photos, final polish, launch
(If you’re on a tighter timeline, we can compress this — the key is prioritization.)
Want a prep plan for your home?
I’ll walk through your property and give you a clear, prioritized list — what matters, what doesn’t, and what’s worth the money.