Alberta Real Estate Market Brief — Feb 4, 2026 (Seller prep: week 1)

Written By Abraham AlGendy
Updated: Focus: Seller prep week 1 Read time: ~2 minutes

Quick actions

Week 1 seller prep is about removing friction. The goal is to make your home easy to show, easy to love, and easy to say yes to.

Get Free Home Value Seller guide Start MLS® Search Buyer guide

Prefer direct? Call/Text: 780-916-8050 • Email: info@AlbertaSell.com

Fast answers (Seller prep week 1)

What should sellers do first in February?

Fix obvious friction, declutter hard, and plan photos and showing access. Then price to sold comps, not to neighbours’ list prices.

What improvements matter most in week 1?

The ones buyers notice instantly: paint touch ups, lighting, cleaning, minor repairs, and curb appeal basics. Small fixes remove big objections.

What is the biggest seller mistake?

Waiting until listing week to start. A calm prep timeline creates better photos, better showings, and stronger offers.

Today’s theme: Remove objections before buyers ever walk in.

Seller prep week 1 checklist

Do this in the next 5 to 7 days

  1. Declutter and depersonalize: pack 25 to 35 percent of visible items and clear countertops.
  2. Fix quick friction: sticky doors, loose handles, burned bulbs, dripping taps, squeaky hinges.
  3. Deep clean: floors, baseboards, bathrooms, kitchen, and odours. Clean sells.
  4. Lighting and temperature: bright warm light and comfortable temperature for every showing.
  5. Curb appeal basics: shovel, salt, mats, tidy entry, and a clean first impression.

Pro move: Walk your home like a buyer for 3 minutes. Anything that interrupts the feeling of calm goes on the fix list.

Free Home Value Selling Edmonton Calgary

Pricing and timeline (week 1 decisions)

Make the market work for you

  1. Pull sold comps: same pocket, similar size, similar condition. Sold data is your anchor.
  2. Choose your strategy: price to sell fast or price for maximum patience. Do not mix the two.
  3. Plan your launch: photography, listing date, and showing schedule that maximizes early momentum.
  4. Access matters: more showing availability usually creates more competition.
  5. Negotiation plan: pre decide your minimums for price, possession, and conditions.

Seller truth: Great pricing plus great access is how you manufacture leverage.

Free Home Value Seller guide MLS® Search

Quick links

General information only. For a specific pricing plan, request sold comps and a listing timeline customized to your pocket and condition level.

FAQ (Seller prep week 1)

What should I fix before listing?
Start with anything obvious in a quick walk through: lighting, small repairs, paint touch ups, cleanliness, and any issue that makes buyers feel uncertainty.
Is staging necessary?
Not always, but presentation is always necessary. Decluttering, clean lines, and good lighting often deliver most of the benefit even without full staging.
How long does week 1 prep usually take?
Most homes can make a big leap in 5 to 7 days with focused decluttering, repairs, and cleaning. Larger projects should be evaluated against timeline and return.
How do I pick the right list price?
Anchor to recent sold comps in your exact pocket and condition. A good list price creates activity early, which is where the strongest offers are most likely to appear.

About the author

Abraham (Ibrahim) AlGendy REALTOR® and former corporate commercial lawyer. Edmonton based, serving clients across Alberta with a calm evidence led approach. Learn more: /about.

Abraham AlGendy
Previous

Alberta Real Estate Market Brief — Feb 5, 2026 (Pricing to sold comps)
Next

Alberta Real Estate Market Brief — Feb 3, 2026 (MLS® filters that win)