How to get your home ready to sell in London, Ontario
Clear the clutter, deep-clean, fix the small things, and let in the light. For most homes, that is a focused week or two, not a renovation.
You might be worried you’ll spend thousands on things buyers don’t care about. Or that an inspection finds a problem that sinks the deal. Here is what to do, what to skip, and who pays for what.
The call is 15 minutes, with no obligation.
The Bottom Line (Quick Answer)
- Getting a home in London, Ontario, ready to sell? With the Ken Small Real Estate Team, most homes need a focused week or two.
- Declutter, deep-clean, fix the small things, go neutral, and tidy the curb. Skip the big renovation.
- Staging, pro photos and video come with our $1,500 Launch Retainer.
The short version
- Do first: declutter, deep-clean, and fix the small things.
- Skip: a big renovation right before you list.
- With us, staging, pro photos and video are part of the $1,500 Launch Retainer.
- So is a third-party inspection before you list, so problems are found on your terms.
The prep checklist, in the order we do it
- Do first Declutter and depersonalize
Pack away the extras: countertops, closets, shelves. Take down personal photos. Buyers need room to picture their own life here. Clutter makes every room look smaller. It costs you nothing but time.
- Do first Deep clean, top to bottom
A clean home reads as a cared-for home. Floors, windows, grout, appliances, baseboards, light fixtures. If you do one thing before photos, make it this. A one-time professional clean is worth pricing out.
- Then Fix the small things
Leaky taps, sticking doors, chipped paint, burnt-out bulbs, scuffed walls. Each one is minor. Together they tell buyers the home was not kept up, and that invites low offers. Fresh, neutral paint fixes many of them at once.
- Then Go neutral and let in the light
Neutral walls, and as much light as you can. Open the blinds, swap dim bulbs for brighter ones, and let every room feel airy. Paint and brighter bulbs fix dark rooms and bold colours.
- Then Tidy the curb
The first photo is the outside. Tidy the yard, edge the beds, clean the door and windows, and add a fresh mat. Buyers form an opinion before they step inside.
- Where it counts Stage the key rooms
You don’t need to stage every room. Focus on the living room, the primary bedroom and the kitchen. Keep them simple, clear and well lit. We tell you where staging is worth it in your home.
- After prep Then the marketing takes over
Once the home is ready, pro photos, video and paid ads put it in front of buyers. That is how we sell.
The room-by-room checklist
Print this, or keep it open on your phone as you walk through.
| Room | Do this | Skip this |
|---|---|---|
| Entry and outside | Tidy the yard, edge the beds, clean the front door, add a new mat | Big landscaping projects |
| Kitchen | Clear the counters, clean the oven and range hood, fix drips | A new kitchen right before you list |
| Living room | Remove extra furniture, open the blinds, use brighter bulbs | Bold new paint colours |
| Primary bedroom | Clear the surfaces, use plain bedding, tidy the closet | Personal photos on display |
| Bathrooms | Clean the grout, fix drips, put out fresh towels | A full bathroom remodel |
| Basement and utility room | Clear the clutter, change the furnace filter, keep the electrical panel easy to reach | Covering up a known problem |
On that last one: if a problem isn’t fixed, it stays on the inspection list. Cleanup is fine. Cover-up is not.
Should I get my home inspected before I sell?
With us, yes. It is part of the $1,500 Launch Retainer. An independent, third-party home inspector, not us, inspects the home before it goes on the market.
Older London homes can hide knob-and-tube wiring, old galvanized plumbing, or grading and foundation issues. Watch for these in Old North and Old South especially. A pre-listing inspection finds them first. Problems get found and fixed on your terms, not in the middle of a deal, on theirs.
See the Certified Pre-Owned Home program: the inspection, the warranty and what your buyer gets.
What to skip
Skip the big renovation right before you list. A big kitchen or bathroom remodel costs real money, and buyers may not pay you back for it.
- Major renovations right before listing. Ask us first.
- Bold, personal upgrades. Very specific finishes narrow your pool of buyers. Neutral wins.
- Over-improving for the street. There is a ceiling on what buyers will pay in any area. Don’t spend past it.
Not sure what’s worth doing on your home? That is the talk we have before you spend a dollar.
How much should I spend getting my house ready to sell?
Spend time before you spend money. Decluttering, deep-cleaning and fresh neutral paint cost the least and do the most. Ask us before any big job, and we tell you first what it is likely to return.
How long does it take to get a home ready to sell?
For most homes, a focused week or two is enough to be photo-ready. That covers decluttering, cleaning, small repairs and staging the key rooms.
Then comes the market. Across all LSTAR regions, the median days on market was 34 days in September 2026. Your photos are working from day one, so the prep is done before the clock starts.
If you want to sell in the next few months, start the prep now. See how long it takes to sell a house in London.
Who pays for staging, photos and the inspection?
With us, our $1,500 Launch Retainer covers staging, pro photos and video, and the sign. It also covers the third-party pre-inspection. And it covers a 1-Year Canadian Home Shield SafeClose™ Warranty that goes to your buyer at closing.
Any extra prep you choose, like paint or repairs, is optional and is your cost. We tell you first what it is likely to return.
Our fee, in plain numbers
- $1,500 Launch Retainer, up front. It is not our margin, and not a deposit on commission.
- 3% on the listing side, only when your home sells.
- 2% to the buyer’s brokerage, recommended. That one is your call.
- HST on top of all three.
See every line in what it costs to sell in London. Or try the Seller Take-Home Calculator.
Why prep is part of our 30-day guarantee
One rule of our 30-day guarantee: showcase condition, as in the listing photos, with daily showing access. So the prep is not just for the photos. It keeps your guarantee in force.
Your Home Sold In 30 Days or I Pay You $5,000
Sold means a written offer you accept in the first 30 days, at any price, not the closing. The $5,000 is paid when your sale closes. Five rules decide if it covers your home:
- Your home is in London, Ontario. Outside London? Call Ken and ask.
- You and Ken agree on a Guaranteed Minimum Sale Price, in writing, before the home is listed. It is set from the same agreed market value the buyout uses, and cannot be higher than your list price.
- The home is kept in showcase condition, as it looks in the listing photos, with reasonable daily showing access. Refuse showings, or pause, cancel or move the listing in the first 30 days, and the guarantee ends.
- Turn down a written offer at or above that minimum, at any time during your listing, and the guarantee ends. At or above the minimum means the price after any credit you give the buyer. Countering such an offer counts as turning it down. Choosing one offer over another does not.
- Homes listed at $350,000 or more: $5,000 paid at closing, as a rebate or off the commission (seller’s choice). Homes listed under $350,000: $3,000 paid at closing instead, as a rebate or off the commission (seller’s choice).
Sold means a written offer you accept in the first 30 days, at any price, not the closing. Closing dates are negotiated and often land well past 30 days. The clock we are betting on is the offer. You never have to accept an offer below your minimum. That is always your call, and saying no to one never costs you the guarantee. The 30 days start the day your home goes live on MLS. An offer made in the 30 days counts if you accept it while it, or a counter, is open. The buyer’s conditions and the closing date are between you and the buyer. If an accepted offer falls through, the guarantee has been met; the 30 days do not start again.
No accepted offer in 30 days? We keep marketing your home through your three-month listing. The remedy in (5) is paid when that sale closes. No closing, no payment.
Two more terms, word for word:
“Listed at” means the original list price in the signed Listing Agreement; a later price change does not move a home from one tier to the other. The $5,000, or $3,000, is paid at the closing of a sale accepted during your listing. That closing can come after the listing ends. No closing, no payment. The guarantee you sign with your listing agreement is the one that counts.
See every guarantee and condition →
Who this is not for
If you want to skip the prep and sell as it is, read selling a house as-is in London first. It may suit you better.
If your home can’t be kept ready for daily showings, the 30-day guarantee won’t apply.
If you want to renovate first, talk to us before you spend. We will tell you plainly what we think it will return.
What London sellers say about working with us
★★★★★We would 100% recommend Ken Small if you are wanting to sell or purchase a home. After 65 years in the same house, my father and I had a huge task on our hands to clean it out and get it ready to put on the market. We were able to leave most of this with Ken and his team.
We honestly feel we could not have done this without him. He stepped right in and knew what needed to be done. We felt like he was on the same page with us and we had several offers to look at in less than a week. Ken is kind, personable, professional and turned a very stressful situation into a worry-free one for us once he was on the job.
Awesome job Ken, we can’t thank you enough. We second the other reviewer’s opinion that Ken goes above and beyond!
Denise F. · Seller · Aug 2024 · via Google
4.9 average from 14 Google reviews, as shown on our reviews page (October 2026). Read every review →
The honest takeaway
Spend time before you spend money. Declutter, clean and fix the small things first. Ask us before any big job. The rest of the launch comes with our fee.
Common questions about prepping to sell
How do I get my house ready to sell?
Is staging worth it when selling a home?
What’s the highest-return thing to do before selling?
Should I renovate before I sell?
What should I fix before selling my house?
How much does home staging cost in London, Ontario?
How long does it take to get a home ready to sell?
Who pays for staging, photos and the pre-listing inspection?
Want a prep plan built for your home? Start with a 15-minute call with Ken.
No obligation. Every guarantee condition is confirmed with you in writing before you sign.
About Ken Small
Ken Small, REALTOR®, has been a real estate agent in London since 2003. He leads the Ken Small Real Estate Team at Century 21 First Canadian Corp., Brokerage. The office is at 420 York Street, London, ON N6B 1R1. RECO #4727293. Meet the team →