So you've got your list of what needs to be done before you sell. Maybe it came from your inspection reports, maybe from walking through with your agent. Now what? Who actually makes all of it happen?
The short answer: before anyone does anything, your first call should be to your agent. After that, the work itself can be done by you, by a contractor you hire, or coordinated by your agent. Most of my sellers have us coordinate it, and honestly, it's one of the biggest ways we take stress off their plate. But first, let's talk about why the plan matters more than who picks up the hammer.
Talk to Your Agent Before You Touch Anything
Here's the thing, the biggest pitfall I see isn't a bad contractor. It's a seller who jumps in and starts fixing things before getting any professional guidance.
I totally get it. You want to save money, and maybe you know your way around a toolbox. But I can't tell you how many times I've seen a seller spend weekends on a project, only to have the buyer's inspector call it out because it wasn't done quite right. Now all that work was for naught, and worse, the buyer starts wondering, "What else did the seller do themselves?"
That one question can change the whole tone of a negotiation. Suddenly the buyer wants more inspections, a bigger credit, or starts getting cold feet. A small DIY fix can end up costing you way more than doing it right, or not doing it at all.
That's why I always recommend walking through with your agent first. A good agent knows what inspectors flag, what buyers in our market care about, and what's honestly better left alone and disclosed. Sometimes the best fix is no fix! And anything that needs a permit should be done by a licensed pro, with the permit pulled.
Then, Who Actually Does the Work?
DO IT YOURSELF
If you're handy and have the time, you can take on some of it yourself. Just talk it through with your agent first, and keep it to the truly simple stuff, like yard cleanup, decluttering, or paint touch-ups. Anything an inspector is going to look at closely (electrical, plumbing, roofing, decks, anything structural) is best left to a licensed pro. And keep in mind, timelines slip (they always do), and when they do, your listing date slips with them.
HIRE A GENERAL CONTRACTOR
For bigger projects, a general contractor can handle the trades for you. The catch is they're focused on the construction, not the sale. They don't necessarily know what buyers in our market care about, what will show up on a buyer's inspection, or what's worth skipping.
HAVE YOUR AGENT COORDINATE IT
This is what most of my sellers choose. We already know which fixes make sense for the sale, we have a network of local vendors we trust (painters, handymen, flooring, pest and roofing companies, cleaners, stagers), and we know how to line them up so everything is done before photos. You stay in the loop and make the decisions, we handle the moving pieces.
What It Looks Like When We Manage It
Here's roughly how it goes when we take on the project management for a listing:
- Walk through and set the plan. We tour the home together, review the inspection reports, and decide what's worth doing (and what isn't) based on your goals and your bottom line.
- Get bids from our vendors. We reach out to the trades we trust and get you real numbers, so you can make informed decisions.
- Schedule in the right order. Repairs first, then paint, then flooring, then cleaning and staging. Sounds simple, but get the order wrong and you're repainting a wall the handyman just dinged.
- Keep you updated. You'll know what's happening, what's done, and if anything comes up along the way. Because something always comes up :-)
- Final walkthrough before photos. We make sure everything is finished and the home is showing in its best light before the photographer ever walks in.
You still make every decision. We just handle the coordinating, the chasing, and the scheduling.
Selling From Out of the Area? Even More Reason
A lot of my sellers aren't local anymore. Maybe it was a parent's home, an inherited property, or you've already moved on to your next chapter. Trying to coordinate a painter in Santa Cruz from another state is no fun, trust me.
This is where having someone on the ground really matters. We can let vendors in, check on progress, send photos, and keep everything moving without you having to fly back. One of my seller clients put it best:
"Dealing with the myriad aspects of being remote sellers is always challenging. Kaelin and team made sure that it was very smooth." Jim S., Seller Client in Soquel
Same goes for busy sellers who are local. Between work, kids, and actually packing up a house, most people don't have the bandwidth to manage a contractor schedule on top of it all.
A Recent Example
When some repeat clients of mine decided to sell their craftsman-style home on acreage in Aptos, we handled the whole prep. Pre-market inspections first, then the repairs, painting, and staging, all lined up so the home was ready to shine on day one.
The result? Short days on market, multiple offers, and a smooth close. Nothing sweeter than delivering for repeat clients.
That's the payoff of a well-run prep. When the work is done right and in the right order, buyers see a home that's been cared for, and they make offers like it.
Let's Talk About Your Home
Whether you want us to manage everything or you'd rather handle some of it yourself, we'll put together a plan that fits you. When we meet, I'll walk through your home, talk through what's worth doing, and let you know exactly how we can help.
Feel free to reach out with any questions, I'm always here to help!
Kaelin Wagnermarsh
Realtor DRE 01945819
(831) 419-6538
kaelin@kaelinrealestate.com
Keller Williams Thrive Santa Cruz
