Important points
Polish the inside and outside of your home. Redfin agents say homebuyers expect to see a clean, tidy, and well-maintained home when they tour it. Invest in desirable upgrades to get higher offers. Kitchen renovations, new roofs, and bathroom renovations are some of the most desired major upgrades, but they can be expensive. Get your home ready to move. Buyers are more likely to make a strong offer on a home that hasn’t had major repairs or updated systems (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.).
Spring has arrived, which means the housing market is entering busy season. As people emerge from the winter cold, more homes come on the market, more buyers start looking, and competition increases. In fact, Redfin data shows that homes tend to sell fastest and for the most money in late March and April.
But in recent years, the normally busy spring home buying season has become more subdued. Since the housing market’s pandemic-era peak in 2022, soaring prices, rising mortgage rates and economic uncertainty have forced many buyers and sellers to the sidelines. As a result, home sales have fallen to historic lows for the past two years, even during the spring. Although the market currently technically favors buyers, affordability challenges continue to limit activity on both sides.
So how can home sellers win in today’s market? Redfin and Thumbtack surveyed and provided answers to hundreds of real estate agents, home professionals, and professionals across the country. Their insights reveal how to prepare your home for tours, attract buyers, sell for top dollar, and sell with confidence.
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1. Show your home in its best light
If you want your property to attract attention, it’s important that home buyers see your home at its best and give them what they’re looking for. According to nearly 75% of Redfin agents, the first thing buyers notice when they walk into a home is its overall condition, followed by cleanliness (64%) and layout (50%).
“Some of the most effective ways to upgrade your home before listing are simple but can have big benefits,” says Tamara Mattox-Kabat, a Redfin real estate agent and interior designer in Denver, Colorado. “Decluttering, removing personal items, cleaning out closets, hiring a handyman to make repairs, and improving lighting are all great options. The goal is to create a clean, attractive space that appeals to a wide range of buyers.”
Homeowners also tend to understand what buyers want. The most common update sellers make before putting their home on the market is interior painting, with 66% of sellers doing this before listing, according to brokers. This is followed by tidying up (57%) and landscaping (48%). These are all consistent with what agents say buyers are looking for.
Your real estate agent will likely bring up the possibility of staging and suggest professional photography (if it’s not included in the contract). These are important steps to attract buyers online and help them imagine living there when they tour.
“Preparing a home for the market means helping buyers maximize their home’s potential, especially in the competitive spring and summer markets,” Mattox-Kabat continued. “Clean, uncluttered spaces, proper lighting, and a fresh neutral color palette allow buyers to focus on the home’s architecture and livability, rather than outdated features or the seller’s personal belongings.”
2. Maximize curb appeal
Selling your home means sprucing up everything inside and out. While cleaning, organizing, and renovating the interior are essential, just as important is how your home looks from the outside, commonly known as curb appeal.
“Curb appeal is critical to making your home stand out during the busy spring season,” says Nicole Stewart, Redfin Premier agent and interior designer in Boise, ID. “Simple steps can include picking up winter debris, power washing sidewalks, mowing the lawn, and cleaning gutters. The more move-in ready your home looks, the better it will perform on the market.”
These updates don’t have to be expensive either.
“One of the easiest things a homeowner can do to improve curb appeal is to add new mulch around the property,” says Brett Douglas, landscape expert and owner of Ironclad Landscape Management. “Laying a new layer of mulch will instantly make your garden flower beds look cleaner and more well-kept. Avoid red-dyed mulch. A simple cypress mulch or pine bark mulch will give your landscape a more natural, sophisticated look.”
3. Increase the value of your home with in-demand upgrades
In some cases, it may be beneficial to invest before listing your home. If you have the budget, you can add a lot of value to buyers by doing major renovations and updates beyond steps like repainting the walls and cleaning the carpet.
According to 79% of Redfin agents, homebuyers value a renovated kitchen the most, followed by a new roof (60%) and updated bathrooms (60%).
Buyers tend to appreciate major improvements that improve functionality and extend the life of the home. The more livable and move-in-ready your home is, the more valuable it is in the eyes of buyers, and the more you’ll want to offer.
However, these renovations can require significant investment. According to Thumbtack, typical costs are:
Kitchen refresh or remodel – $28,696 – $90,397 New roof – $9,504 Bathroom refresh or remodel – $200-$594 per square foot New interior paint – average $700-$1100 New HVAC system – $11,862
But which features are the most cost-effective? According to February 2026 Redfin data, the features that add the most value are stainless steel appliances, backyards, and vinyl siding.
4. Prioritize buyer essentials
In addition to increasing your potential sales price, optimizing homebuyer essentials can also draw attention to your property. More than 76% of Redfin agents say buyers most want a home in move-in ready condition, followed by no major repair issues (60%) and recently updated electrical, plumbing, or HVAC systems (47%).
Move-in ready homes, also known as “turnkey,” allow buyers to move in immediately from the moment they receive the keys. This usually means that the appliances are updated and functioning, there are no structural or system issues, and the layout and overall appearance of the home is acceptable.
Bringing a home to this level typically requires several steps, including cleaning, decluttering, performing major updates, and conducting preliminary inspections to uncover any major issues. But the most important thing is the first impression. ”
“You don’t necessarily need a complete renovation to make an impact,” says Kristin Sanchez, Redfin Premier agent and interior designer in Nashville, Tennessee. “Fresh neutral paint, updated light fixtures, exterior pressure washing, and simple landscaping can completely change a buyer’s first impression, and that first impression can make or break an offer.”
Final thoughts: Showcase your home, invest in popular upgrades, and sell with confidence
The housing market has been depressed and prices have continued to rise in recent years, creating challenges for both buyers and sellers. Many buyers have a fixed price or are unwilling to negotiate, and an increasing number of sellers are withdrawing their homes from the market without getting an offer.
As a result, preparation and pricing are more important than ever. Redfin and Thumbtack experts recommend that home sellers present their homes at their best by investing in in-demand features, decorating as much as possible, and appealing to what buyers are looking for most.
Setting the price from the beginning is also important these days, as buyers often have preferences and options. Many of today’s home sellers are lowering their asking prices, and those who do are typically lowering their prices by 10%. To reduce this risk, work with your agent for competitive pricing. For more professional guidance, you can also check out Thumbtack’s Spring home playbook.
When you’re ready to sell, the first step is to contact an agent to plan a strategy for listing your home, including pricing and visibility strategies. Then, prepare your home for tours, highlight its best features, attract offers, and sell with confidence at a competitive price.
