The Ultimate Pre-Listing & Listing Checklist

"In my experience, the listings that sell fastest and for the most money are always the ones where the real work happens before it ever goes live. These simple steps make all the difference—and your sellers will feel it."
— Jenny Carlson, 20+ year industry veteran

🏡 The Ultimate Pre-Listing & Listing Checklist

Top Agent Strategies to Maximize Seller Success

If you want to position yourself among the top 1% of real estate agents—those who consistently deliver top-dollar results in record time—this checklist is for you. These proven, proactive steps create standout listings, confident sellers, and streamlined transactions. Every successful launch starts before the property ever hits the market. Let’s make it fun, effective, and rewarding—for you and your sellers.

🌟 Pre-Listing Prep: Set the Stage for Success

These action items are your power tools to set expectations, build momentum, and prep for a spectacular launch.

1. Listing Paperwork & Required Disclosures

Start by ensuring all listing agreements, legal disclosures, and brokerage documents are complete and signed. Organized paperwork = smooth transactions.

2. Staging & Home Prep

Recommend staging, whether professional or DIY. The goal? A warm, clean, spacious impression that allows buyers to see themselves living there. (Top-performing agents stage in some form 95%+ of the time—NAR)

3. Seller Preparation: The Homework Packet

Provide your sellers with a helpful checklist that includes:

• Minor repairs and cosmetic updates (e.g., touch-up paint, replacing burned-out bulbs)

• Decluttering and removing personal or high-value items

• Deep cleaning inside and out

• Enhancing curb appeal (it’s the first impression!)

• A form to fill out utilities info, a list of home improvements, favorite features, past survey or affidavit, etc.

This not only shows professionalism, it gets sellers mentally invested in the process.

4. Professional Photography

Schedule high-quality photos after the home is fully staged and prepared. Consider multiple lighting times (day/evening) for added charm.

5. Video Tours: Double Orientation

Record both a landscape (YouTube-style) and portrait (social media-style) walk-through. This simple step expands your reach on multiple platforms.

6. Property Website with All the Extras

Build a custom property site that includes:

• Beautiful listing description

• Local amenities and area info

• Embedded map for location reference

• Seller disclosures, survey, and "homework" documents

• Property video(s)

• Buyer agent commission details

This serves as the go-to marketing hub—easy to share and even easier for buyers to fall in love.

7. In-House Brokerage Pre-Marketing

If your brokerage has internal tools or agent-only platforms, share the listing there first. Early buzz pays off.

8. “Coming Soon” Campaign (5–7 Days Before Going Live)

Pre-marketing is your momentum-builder. Post the listing as “Coming Soon” in the MLS to legally start exposure while preparing your broader marketing push.

9. Targeted Facebook Ad

Once “Coming Soon” is live in MLS (for compliance!), run a Facebook ad targeting viewers within a 25-mile radius.
💡 Pro tip: Run at $10/day for 4 days and include Open House date/time. The first weekend is your golden window!

🚀 Listing Launch: When the Spotlight Hits

These steps ensure maximum exposure, continued seller confidence, and a systematized process that runs like clockwork.

1. Go Live in MLS

Double-check all listing data is accurate and complete—including links to disclosures, photos, videos, and your seller's story if included.

2. Go Live on Third-Party Portals

Push the listing to any additional websites or real estate platforms you use. Visibility is key.

3. Open House – First Weekend

Host your Open House on the first weekend the listing is live. Market it in advance (as early as “Coming Soon” phase) for the best traffic. Top agents often see 50%+ of buyer activity in this first week.

4. Automated Seller Updates & Communication

Set up your seller with:

• Showing feedback alerts

• Automated listing/market activity emails

• Your email newsletter (if applicable)

• Any branded marketing campaign system you use

This keeps them informed and involved—no surprises, just confidence.

5. Weekly Update Email

Automate a weekly email that:

• Links back to showing activity and market updates

• Reassures sellers of your availability

• Reviews any strategies or timelines you’ve discussed

📌 Pro tip: This is also a great place to reset expectations gently (e.g., average days on market in their price range) so emotions don’t take over logic.

6. Auto-Text Touches (Optional)

Set up a simple system to text sellers with a short weekly note like:

“Hi! Nothing new to report this week, but we’re on it. If anything urgent or promising comes up, I’ll call you directly!”

Little touches like this build massive trust.

7. Calendar Check-Ins

Put dates in your calendar to call or visit your seller periodically—even if there’s no new news. Hearing your voice reminds them that you’re working behind the scenes and keeps their stress levels low.

🧠 Remember: It’s far harder to undo unrealistic expectations than it is to set the right ones from the start. Always communicate early and often, and use every system at your disposal to stay ahead of the conversation.

🎯 Final Thought: Why This Matters

Pre-listing and early marketing aren’t just tasks—they’re strategic moves that top agents use to close more, faster, and for more money. Studies have shown staged and well-marketed homes can sell up to 10% more and 87% faster than non-prepped listings.

So take the time. Do the prep. Use this checklist. Your sellers will feel the difference—and so will your bottom line.