Before your home goes live on the market, a bit of upfront preparation can make an enormous difference to how smoothly — and successfully — your sale unfolds. Here’s a comprehensive checklist to work through.
Step 1: Get Your Documentation in Order
Start by gathering your title deeds, arranging your BER certificate if you don’t already have a valid one, and locating planning permission documentation for any extensions or structural changes. This groundwork prevents delays once you’re sale agreed.
Step 2: Get an Accurate, Evidence-Based Valuation
Before setting any expectations around price, arrange a proper in-person valuation grounded in genuine local comparable sales — not an automated online estimate. This is one of the most important steps in your entire selling journey.
Step 3: Address Small Repairs and Presentation Details
Walk through your home with fresh eyes, addressing minor issues like dripping taps, chipped paint, or squeaky doors. These small fixes meaningfully influence buyer perception during viewings and in photographs.
Step 4: Declutter and Depersonalise
Clear excess furniture and personal items to help buyers envision themselves in the space. A clean, neutral, well-lit home consistently photographs and shows better than a cluttered one.
Step 5: Plan for Professional Photography
Schedule professional photography — and if appropriate for your property, drone imagery and a video tour — for a bright day, after your home has been tidied, decluttered, and prepared.
Step 6: Confirm Your Marketing Strategy
Before listing, understand exactly where and how your home will be marketed — including confirmation it will appear on Daft.ie and MyHome.ie, alongside any social media promotion planned as part of your listing package.
Step 7: Set Clear Communication Expectations
Agree upfront on how often you’ll receive updates throughout the process, so you’re never left wondering how your sale is progressing.
Why This Checklist Matters
Lorraine Mulligan, Broker at Team Lorraine / REMAX and a 27 year veteran real estate agent, walks every seller through a version of this exact checklist before listing, drawing on lessons from more than 7,000 completed home sales to know precisely where preparation pays off most.
Common Pre-Listing Questions
A Seller’s Reflection on Being Prepared
One recent client shared: “Having a clear, step-by-step checklist took so much of the guesswork and stress out of getting ready to sell — by the time we listed, everything felt genuinely under control.” This kind of structured, supportive guidance is consistently reflected across Team Lorraine’s 400 Google 5-star reviews.
Start Your Selling Journey Prepared
A well-prepared listing sets the tone for a smoother, more successful sale from day one.
Contact Lorraine Mulligan at Team Lorraine / REMAX | ++353 1 627 2770 | www.TeamLorraine.ie for a FREE 2026 Market Strategy Session
Email: lorraine@teamlorraine.ie Website: https://teamlorraine.ie/ Address: Main St, Celbridge, Co Kildare | Unit 2, Lower Main Street, Lucan, Co Dublin