Top 3 Reasons to Meet With a Real Estate Agent NOW if You’re Planning to Sell in 2026
If you’re thinking about selling your home in 2026, you may feel like you have plenty of time. After all, it’s still a year away—right?
Not exactly.
What most homeowners don’t realize is this:
The preparation you do NOW has a major impact on your sale price, your stress level, and how quickly your home sells later.
Meeting with a real estate agent early gives you a strategic advantage that sellers often miss. Here are the top three reasons why you should start planning today if a 2026 move is on your horizon.
1. Capture Beautiful Non-Snowy Photos Before Winter Hits
If you live in a cold climate—especially here in the Midwest—you know the weather changes fast. One day the yard looks great… and the next, everything is covered in snow or mud until April.
What many sellers don’t realize is:
Your listing photos don’t need to be taken right before your home goes on the market.
By meeting with your real estate agent early, you can schedule exterior photos before winter, when:
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Landscaping is visible
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Trees still have color
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Driveways aren’t covered in salt
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The home simply looks more inviting
These seasonal photos can be priceless when selling months later. Buyers LOVE seeing how the home looks in warmer weather, and early photos help your listing stand out instantly.
2. You’ll Have Time to Complete High-Impact Home Improvements
One of the biggest advantages of meeting early with your agent is getting a customized list of priority updates.
And here’s the truth: contractors book up fast.
By planning ahead, you can schedule affordable, high-return improvements such as:
✔ Fresh interior paint
Stick to warm, popular neutrals like:
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Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee
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Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
A fresh coat instantly modernizes a home and appeals to the widest pool of buyers.
✔ Touching up white trim
White trim naturally ages and dulls over time.
A fresh coat of bright semi-gloss makes everything feel cleaner and newer.
✔ Updating lighting
Swapping outdated fixtures for clean black or soft brass styles dramatically improves the look of your home.
✔ Replacing worn or damaged carpet
This leads to one of the most common questions sellers ask…
Bonus: “Why Should I Replace the Carpet If Buyers Will Just Rip It Out?”
I hear this constantly, and here are the two main reasons why replacing carpet is still worth it.
1. First impressions are EVERYTHING.
Even if older carpet is clean, it naturally develops dark edge shading around the walls over time.
Buyers notice this immediately.
New carpet brightens the space, photographs better, and helps your home feel more “move-in ready.”
2. Most buyers don’t rip it out.
Even if they say they might, most buyers move in, get busy, and end up leaving the carpet for years.
If they don’t like it, they mentally discount the home—and that affects your sale price.
Replacing old carpet today ensures buyers focus on the best features of your home, not the updates they feel they need to make.
3. Decluttering Takes Longer Than You Think — Start Now
Decluttering seems simple… until you actually start.
Then suddenly you’re surrounded by:
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Preschool artwork
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Kindergarten hand-turkeys
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Elementary school report cards
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Birthday cards you forgot you had
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Bins that haven’t been opened since 2008
Memories slow the process down, and what should take a weekend can easily turn into a month—or more.
But here’s why decluttering is critical:
✔ Buyers need to mentally move in.
The less “you” they see, the more “them” they can imagine.
✔ Movers charge by volume.
The more you donate or toss now, the less you pay later.
✔ Starting early removes stress.
You’ll never regret doing this step before the chaos of moving begins.
A Donation Resource I Highly Recommend: PickUpPlease.com
Run by AMVETS, Pick Up Please makes donating incredibly easy:
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Schedule a pickup online
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Leave your items outside
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They pick everything up
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Your donations support American veterans
It’s fast, convenient, and a perfect way to declutter without multiple trips to donation centers.
Recap: Why Meet With an Agent Now for a 2026 Sale?
Here’s the quick summary:
1. Get beautiful non-snowy exterior photos now
—your home will look better online and stand out from winter listings.
2. Plan and schedule key home improvements early
—including paint, trim refreshes, lighting, and carpet updates.
3. Start decluttering before it becomes overwhelming
—and save money by donating items you don’t want to move.
Selling a home is a process, not an event—and the sooner you start, the smoother (and more profitable) it will be.
Thinking About Selling in 2026? Let’s Build Your Prep Plan Now.
If you’re even considering moving in 2026, now is the perfect time to start preparing.
I’ll walk through your home with you, create a personalized improvement and decluttering plan, and help you start the process with clarity and confidence.
📩 Message me anytime to schedule a consultation.
Hustle and heart set us apart—and I’m here to make your next move your easiest one yet.
