What Should Homeowners Know Before Selling Their Home?
LOUISIANA REALTORS • May 23, 2017
Making the decision to sell your home
is an important one. There is a lot of time, energy, emotion, and money at stake in this process, so being prepared is crucial. But how do you prepare and what do you need to know in order to achieve your goal of successfully selling your home? Here are 5 things every homeowner should know before selling their home.
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1.) Hire a REALTOR®
First and foremost interview and hire a REALTOR®. This is arguably the most important step in any real estate transaction. In your interview, look for expertise and knowledge about the market, gauge the REALTORS’ character for education experience along with a high moral and ethical guideline. Using a REALTOR® will help you arrive at the best price for your home and attract qualified buyers to ensure that you get what you need from the transaction.
2.) Consider a Pre-Listing Inspection
Having your home looked over by a professional can give you great insight into what type of work may need to be done. Having this information available before you list can help in the decision making process and allow you to remedy anything that could become an issue down the road. You may also want to consider these other types of inspections: pest, radon, septic, chimney, etc.
3.) Improve Curb Appeal
First impressions are vitally important when it comes to real estate. Any potential buyer’s initial interaction with your property will be from the outside. Fresh landscaping, a coat of paint, a neatly kept lawn, and other aesthetic features can only help ensure a positive impression while your home is on the market.
4.) Gather All Documents
Any documents and paperwork you have amassed over the years relating to your home can be a great resource for your REALTOR®. The history, upkeep, upgrades, and mechanics of your home allows for compelling information to be created, as well as the pertinent information buyers need and want. HVAC records, roof documents, appliance warranties, remodeling information, and other documents are all valuable throughout the selling process.
5.) Prepare Your Home for Showings
This is an essential part of the process. Clearing the clutter, organizing the different spaces of your home, and creating a positive environment for potential buyers can greatly impact the speed and price at which your home will sell.
While there is much to do and consider when preparing to sell your home, your top priority should be to hire a REALTOR® to guide and advise you through the process.

The National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors approved a 2026 budget with no dues increase and passed a Professional Standards Recommendation to clarify language in NAR Code of Ethics Standard of Practice 10-5, which prohibits harassment of any person or persons protected under Article 10 of the Code. A day earlier, the Executive Committee approved another Professional Standards change, revising language for Policy Statement 29 designed to ensure state and local associations can fairly and consistently enforce the Code of Ethics. Learn more about the changes. Read the revised Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Board members also approved a consent agenda to elect the 2026 officers and regional vice presidents . Christine Hansen of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was elected 2026 President-Elect, and Colin Mullane of Ashland, Ore. was elected 2026 First Vice President. The meeting opened with a video message from President Donald Trump, who welcomed REALTORS® to Washington and thanked them for support of the House-passed tax reform. NAR routinely invites the U.S. president to address REALTORS® at the Washington meetings. Over NAR's history, nine sitting presidents have addressed the association. Board Actions Approved a series of Finance Committee recommendations, accepting the association’s financial statement, approving the 2026 operating and advocacy budgets, and keeping dues at $156. The board actions also redirect $35 of the $45 Consumer Advertising Campaign assessment to operating funds. This change positions NAR to make its next settlement payment in February 2026 and maintain a balanced budget without raising total dues. The remaining $10 for the Consumer Advertising Campaign will fund optimized, metrics-driven activities that reach and engage consumers in critical markets. NAR CEO Nykia Wright and President Kevin Sears explained the shift at the opening session of the conference . Amended Standard of Practice 10-5 to give state and local associations greater clarity in how to fairly and consistently enforce Article 10 of the Code of Ethics. The amended Standard of Practice says that REALTORS®, in their capacity as real estate professionals, in association with their real estate businesses, or in their real estate-related activities, shall not harass any person or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Made a series of recommendations to the Standards of Practice to bring the language in line with the terms of NAR’s 2024 settlement. Approved a motion to make one member of the Executive Committee a commercial practitioner who has served as chair, vice chair or liaison of an NAR commercial-related committee or forum to serve a two-year term and be independent of the 10% commercial representation requirement outlined in the NAR Constitution. Approved a recommendation from the Credentials and Campaign Rules Committee to amend qualifications for president-elect, first vice president and treasurer effective Jan. 1, 2026. Qualifications for top-line officers are now aligned with those already in place for regional vice presidents. Approved recommendations from the Member Accountability Committee related to applications for volunteer leadership and the Statement of Appropriate Event Conduct. The goal of the recommendations is to ensure members found in violation of the NAR Member Code of Conduct are properly disclosed. Award Winners NAR President Kevin Sears announced the 2025 Distinguished Service Award winners James P. Cormier , AHWD, C2EX, of Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Brooke S. Hunt , AHWD, E-PRO, SFR, SRS, C2EX , of Flower Mound, Texas. In addition, the group recognized the winner of the 2024 William R. Magel Award, Anne Marie DeCatsye , CEO of the Canopy REALTOR® Association and Canopy MLS in the Charlotte, N.C., metro area. REALTORS® Relief Foundation During the meeting, REALTORS® Relief Foundation President Greg Hrabcak appealed to board members to make a tax-deductible donation. The fund provides housing assistance to victims in the immediate aftermath of a disaster; 100% of funds donated go to disaster relief. “We’ve had devastating wildfires in California, tornadoes in Missouri and Kentucky and flooding in West Virginia, and we’re still in the first half of this year,” Hrabcak said. Before the meeting ended, directors had donated more than $41,000.