Before YouList Your Home.

First impressions happen before a buyer ever walks through the door. A driveway with visible staining or siding with streaks of algae reads as "not well maintained" even if everything inside the house is in great shape — and it’s one of the fastest, least expensive things to fix before listing.

Get it done close to when listing photos are taken, not weeks before — Oregon weather can undo some of the visual impact if there’s a stretch of rain between the cleaning and the photos. A week or so out is usually a safe window.

If you’re also clearing out a garage or getting rid of anything before showings start, junk removal and a few quick handyman fixes often go hand-in-hand with this kind of pre-listing prep — and don’t forget the lawn, which we cover in our guide to lawn care before selling.