
If you're thinking about selling your house this year, you may be torn between two options:
- Do you sell it as-is and make it easier on yourself? No repairs. No effort.
- Or do you fix it up a bit first – so it shows well and sells for as much as possible?
In 2026, that decision matters more than it used to. Here's what you need to know.
Over the past year, the number of homes for sale has been climbing. And this year, a Realtor.com forecast says it could go up another 8.9%. That matters. As buyers gain more options, they also re-gain the ability to be selective. So, the details are starting to count again.
That's one reason most sellers choose to make some updates before listing.

If you're like a lot of homeowners, you've probably thought: "I'd like to move… but I don't want to give up my 3% rate." That's fair. That rate has been one of your best financial wins – and it can be hard to let go. But here's what you need to remember...
A great rate won't make up for a home that no longer works for you. Life changes, and sometimes, your home needs to change with it. And you're not the only one making that choice.
Many homeowners have been frozen in place by something the experts call the lock-in effect. That's when you won't move because you don't want to take on a higher rate on your next home loan. But

If there was one simple step that could help make your home sale a seamless process, wouldn't you want to know about it?
There's a lot that happens from the time your house goes under contract to closing day. And a few things still have to go right for the deal to go through. But here's what a lot of sellers may not know.
There's one part of the process where some homeowners are hitting a road bump that's causing buyers to back out these days. But don't worry. The majority of these snags are completely avoidable, especially when you understand what's causing them and how to be proactive.
That's where a great agent (and a little prep) can make all the difference.
The latest data from Redfin says 15% of pending home s...

These days, you're going to want to get your price right when you get ready to sell your house. Honestly, it's more important than ever. Why? While you may want to list high just to see what happens, that's a plan that can easily backfire, and it's going to cost you in today's market.
And the risk isn't just missing out on offers, it's missing out on the move you needed to make in the first place.
Many homeowners remember what their neighbor's house sold for a few years ago, and they want to chase that same sky-high number. The problem is, that was a different market.
Today, there are more homes for sale. Buyers have more options to choose from. They don't have to get into bidding wars where they offer way over asking just to compete. Now they can come in at, or even below, list price....

When you sell a house, the last thing you want is for the deal to fall apart right before closing. But according to the latest data from Redfin, that's happening a bit more often lately. The good news is, it's completely avoidable if you lean on an agent for insight into why that is and how to avoid it happening to you.
This June, 15% of pending home sales fell through. That means those buyers backed out of their contracts. That's not too much higher than the norm of roughly 12% from 2017-2019, but it's still an increase. And it's one you don't want to have to deal with.
The key to avoiding this headache is knowing what's causing the issues that lead to...