SELLING · PREP & STAGING

Triaged, not a to-do list.

Most prep advice wastes your money. I walk your home and give you a short list ranked by return - what to fix, what to paint, and what buyers here genuinely don't care about.

HOW IT WORKS

Spend where it returns

No. 01

The walk-through

Twenty minutes, room by room. You'll leave with a short list, not a renovation plan.

No. 02

Ranked by return

Every item scored: what it costs, what it returns, and what happens if you skip it.

No. 03

My stager handles the rest

Furniture placement, lighting, and the details that photograph well - included in my listing service.

No. 04

What to skip

The kitchen remodel, usually. Buyers here repaint anyway. I'll tell you what this market actually pays for.

“

I chose to go with Emily Murphy of Property Specific Real Estate in Wake Forest, N.C. after speaking with her for the first time. I was extremely pleased with her attitude, professionalism, attention to detail, and desire to follow my wishes, even as she made some very valuable suggestions of her own. I have bought and sold several houses during my many moves and have never felt like the agents I worked with could be a friend, but that was the way I felt with Emily. I will recommend Emily's name to anyone who is looking for a reliable, enthusiastic, and honest realtor to help them buy or sell a home! The sale was made relatively easy, even with the few challenges we encountered. I am 100% pleased! Thank you so much!

- MARGARET SANFORD

“

Emily and her people did an absolutely amazing job at marketing and showing our home. Emily listed our house on a Thursday officially; the first 3 showings were the following day, and then 3 more on that Saturday. There was a cash offer made from one of the 3 viewings on that Saturday, that we accepted. A full asking price cash offer. Emily also managed to have a beautiful home in the listings she was showing that we ended up purchasing. We closed on the house we bought on December 10th at approximately 11:00 AM and the house we were selling, closed an hour previously. Emily did an absolutely amazing job on both ends of her task and we will never have an issue in very strongly recommending her to anyone who asks my wife, Brande or I, as to who the best realtor in our area is, Emily Murphy.

- JIM MCILROY

“

Emily was great to work with. She has helped us with a couple of transactions in the past (both selling and buying properties). She is very responsive and super friendly. We would definitely work with her again.

- ELISA ARÉVALO

THE SHORT LIST

Usually worth it. Usually not.

WORTH IT

Fresh paint in the rooms that show wear

Lighting - bulbs, fixtures, lamps in dark corners

Deep clean, windows included

Landscaping tidy-up and a strong front door

The small repairs buyers read as neglect

USUALLY NOT

The kitchen remodel - buyers here repaint and re-pull anyway

Whole-house new flooring when a credit does the same job

A new roof that isn’t failing (disclose, price, move on)

Converting rooms - stage the office as an office

Anything permits would slow down

Every house is different - this is the pattern, not the prescription. The walk-through is where it becomes your list.

GOOD QUESTIONS

Prep questions, answered

Q.

Can you stage a home we're living in?

That's most of them. My stager works with your furniture first - edit, rearrange, and rent only what fills real gaps.

Q.

How long does prep usually take?

One to three weeks for most homes. Paint and lighting move fast; it's scheduling the handyman that eats calendar.

Q.

What if we do nothing at all?

Sometimes that's the right call - hot street, right price point, clean house. I'll tell you honestly when prep won't move the number.

Get your short list.

Before you spend a dollar on prep, let me walk the house. It usually saves sellers thousands.

BOOK A CALL WITH EMILY