What Should I Do Before Selling My Westlake Austin Home? A 90-Day Seller Plan
If you’re thinking about selling your home in Westlake Austin sometime in the next three months, my biggest piece of advice is:
Don’t wait until you’re ready to list to call a Realtor.
Some of the most important decisions we make happen well before the photographer arrives.
Should you paint?
Should you replace the floors?
Should you renovate the kitchen?
Should you stage?
Should you sell before buying your next house?
Should you list immediately or wait?
What is the house actually worth?
And perhaps most importantly:
What should you NOT spend money on?
I’m Natasha Antonioni, a Realtor, interior designer and real estate investor with The Council Real Estate Group at Compass.
When we prepare a Westlake or Eanes ISD home for market, our goal isn’t to make the house perfect.
It’s to determine which decisions are most likely to improve the seller’s price, timing and net proceeds.
So if you’re approximately 90 days from selling your Westlake home, here’s where I would start.
Quick Answer: What Should I Do 90 Days Before Selling My Westlake Home?
About three months before listing, Westlake sellers should begin by:
- Determining the home’s realistic current value
- Reviewing competing homes currently for sale
- Identifying repairs that could concern buyers
- Deciding which cosmetic improvements are worth making
- Avoiding renovations unlikely to produce a return
- Creating a staging and design plan
- Reviewing landscaping and exterior presentation
- Gathering important property documents
- Understanding likely selling costs and net proceeds
- Creating a pricing strategy
- Planning photography and marketing
- Choosing the right launch date
Notice what’s not first on that list:
Calling a contractor.
Before you spend money, build the strategy.
90 Days Before Listing: Start With Value
Before we discuss paint colors, landscaping or staging, I want to understand what we’re working with.
What is the home worth today?
What might it be worth with strategic preparation?
And what could realistically change that number?
Westlake is particularly difficult to value using broad averages because two houses with similar square footage can have dramatically different values.
The differences may come down to:
Lot.
Street.
Views.
Topography.
Architecture.
Renovation quality.
Privacy.
Pool.
Outdoor living.
Lake Austin proximity or access.
School assignment.
And the buyer profile for that particular property.
That’s why an online home estimate should be treated as a starting data point, not a pricing strategy.
What Is My Westlake Austin Home Worth? Why Online Estimates Can Miss Eanes ISD Homes
Look at Your Competition, Not Just Your Comps
Most sellers want to know:
What did the house down the street sell for?
We absolutely want to know that.
But I also want to know:
What can your buyer purchase instead of your house today?
Imagine we’re preparing to list your home at $3 million.
A buyer with approximately $3 million isn’t only looking at past sales.
They’re opening their phone and looking at what $3 million buys right now.
Maybe that’s:
A newly renovated house in West Lake Hills.
A larger home in 78733.
New construction.
A house with a pool.
A smaller house on an extraordinary lot.
Or a property closer to downtown.
Those homes are your competition.
Your house has to make sense within that set.
75–90 Days Before Listing: Walk the House Like a Buyer
This is one of my favorite parts of the process.
Because I stop looking at the property as the homeowner sees it.
And start looking at it as the buyer will.
I walk in through the front door and ask:
What do I notice first?
Where does my eye go?
Does the house feel light?
Does it feel dated?
Does the furniture make rooms feel smaller?
Is there a view we’re hiding?
Is there architecture we’re not emphasizing?
Does the home have a clear personality?
Where does it feel expensive?
Where does it feel tired?
And where might a buyer start mentally subtracting money?
This is where my interior design background becomes incredibly useful.
We’re looking for friction.
Anything that makes the buyer hesitate.
Your House Does Not Need to Look New
This is important.
Especially in established Westlake neighborhoods.
Buyers don’t necessarily need a house to be brand new.
They need to understand what they’re buying.
An older home with:
Beautiful land.
Good architecture.
Mature trees.
A strong floor plan.
Great natural light.
And a compelling price
can be incredibly attractive.
The mistake is assuming every dated home needs to become a new-construction look-alike before it can sell.
Sometimes we renovate.
Sometimes we edit.
Sometimes we stage.
And sometimes I tell the seller:
Don’t touch it.
How to Sell a Dated Home in Westlake Austin Without Over-Renovating
60–75 Days Before Listing: Decide What Is Actually Worth Improving
This is where sellers can lose a lot of money.
You start with:
“We should probably paint.”
Then:
“Maybe we should change the counters.”
Then:
“If we’re changing the counters, should we change the backsplash?”
Then:
“The cabinets look dated next to the new counters.”
Suddenly you’ve spent $85,000 preparing a kitchen for someone who may rip it out anyway.
Instead, we evaluate improvements by asking:
What problem are we solving?
And:
Will solving it materially change buyer perception or value?
Improvements That Often Deserve Consideration
Depending on the property, we may consider:
Interior paint.
Exterior touch-ups.
Lighting.
Hardware.
Floor refinishing.
Carpet replacement.
Landscape cleanup.
Pressure washing.
Window cleaning.
Minor repairs.
Decluttering.
Furniture editing.
Selective staging.
None of these are automatic recommendations.
They’re tools.
Improvements That Require More Analysis
Major kitchen renovation.
Bathroom renovation.
Replacing all flooring.
New windows.
Pool renovation.
Large landscaping projects.
Major structural changes.
Adding square footage.
These can be excellent investments in the right situation.
They can also be terrible pre-sale investments.
Should I Renovate Before Selling My Home in Austin? A Realtor and Designer’s ROI Guide
About 60 Days Before Listing: Get the Financial Picture
This is where our partner Albina Rippy’s background as a CPA becomes particularly useful.
We want sellers to understand:
Expected sale range.
Mortgage payoff.
Estimated transaction expenses.
Potential repair or preparation costs.
Carrying costs.
Potential concessions.
And estimated net proceeds.
Because gross sale price is not the same as money in your pocket.
Let’s say you could sell today for one amount.
Or spend $75,000 and two months preparing the house in hopes of selling for more.
The relevant question isn’t:
“Will the renovated house sell for more?”
It probably will.
The relevant question is:
“Will you NET more?”
Those are very different questions.
Carrying Costs Matter Too
If preparation delays your sale by two months, consider:
Mortgage interest.
Property taxes.
Insurance.
Utilities.
Pool maintenance.
Landscaping.
HOA expenses.
And opportunity cost.
Sometimes waiting makes sense.
Sometimes speed is financially valuable.
There is no universal answer.
That’s why we run the numbers.
The Hidden Costs of Buying a Home in Westlake
45–60 Days Before Listing: Start Editing
You don’t need to move out.
But the house needs to stop feeling quite so much like your house.
That doesn’t mean removing every trace of personality.
In fact, I think over-neutralizing a beautiful home can be a mistake.
What we want to remove is visual noise.
That may mean:
Editing furniture.
Removing excess accessories.
Reducing family photographs.
Clearing kitchen counters.
Editing closets.
Removing oversized furniture.
Rearranging rooms.
Opening views.
Creating clearer circulation.
The goal is not emptiness.
The goal is clarity.
A buyer should understand the house immediately.
Should You Stage Your Westlake Home?
Usually some level of staging or styling helps.
But staging does not necessarily mean renting an entire house of furniture.
Sometimes a home needs:
A complete staging installation.
Sometimes:
Three rooms.
Sometimes:
Different art.
Sometimes:
A smaller dining table.
Sometimes:
Nothing more than editing what you already own.
The correct staging strategy depends on the property.
Should I Stage My Home Before Selling in Austin? A Designer and Realtor’s Strategic Guide
30–45 Days Before Listing: Look Outside
Sellers spend enormous energy on kitchens and bathrooms and sometimes forget the first thing buyers experience:
The exterior.
Before listing, look at:
Landscaping.
Mulch or gravel.
Dead plants.
Trees.
Exterior paint.
Front door.
Lighting.
Driveway.
Walkways.
Pool.
Outdoor furniture.
Fences.
Gates.
House numbers.
And the approach to the front door.
You don’t need to create a botanical garden.
You need to communicate:
This property has been cared for.
In Westlake, the Land Is Part of the Listing
This matters particularly in Eanes.
Many buyers are purchasing more than the structure.
They’re purchasing:
Trees.
Privacy.
Views.
Topography.
Outdoor living.
A pool.
A creek.
Lake proximity.
Or acreage.
The exterior marketing deserves the same thought as the interior.
About 30 Days Before Listing: Gather Your Property Information
Luxury buyers ask questions.
Make it easy to answer them.
Depending on your home, begin collecting:
Survey.
Seller’s disclosure information.
Prior inspection reports where relevant.
Major renovation records.
Permits where applicable.
Roof information.
HVAC ages.
Pool information.
Septic records if applicable.
HOA documents.
Utility information.
Smart-home information.
Major appliance information.
Warranties.
And records of significant improvements.
This doesn’t mean handing buyers every document before they’re appropriate.
It means your listing team isn’t scrambling when a serious buyer asks.
21–30 Days Before Listing: Decide How You’re Going to Enter the Market
Not every seller needs the same launch strategy.
Options can include:
Traditional MLS launch.
Coming Soon exposure where permitted.
A carefully considered private or pre-market strategy.
Or another approach appropriate to the seller’s circumstances.
The key is understanding the tradeoff between:
Privacy.
Exposure.
Timing.
And competition.
For most sellers seeking maximum market exposure, the MLS remains extremely important.
But there are situations where privacy or a controlled pre-market period deserves consideration.
The important thing is that the strategy should serve your goal, not your agent’s business model.
Should You List Privately Before the MLS? An Honest Answer for Westlake Sellers
14–21 Days Before Listing: Finalize Pricing
This is when Holly McCormick’s negotiation and market experience becomes especially important.
Pricing isn’t just a valuation exercise.
It’s a positioning decision.
We’re asking:
Where are buyers searching?
What competing homes are available?
What just went pending?
What just reduced its price?
What has been sitting?
What will buyers compare us against?
Where are the search thresholds?
And what price gives us the strongest negotiating position?
One of the most expensive strategies in luxury real estate can be:
“Let’s start high. We can always come down.”
You can.
But you cannot recreate your first week on the market.
Pricing Luxury Homes in Westlake Austin: What Sellers Need to Know
7–14 Days Before Listing: Photography and Storytelling
Now we’re ready to market the house.
And this is where I think luxury marketing frequently misses the point.
A listing shouldn’t simply document the rooms.
It should explain:
Why would someone want to live here?
If the kitchen opens to a beautiful outdoor space, that’s part of the story.
If the house is surrounded by trees, that’s part of the story.
If the architecture creates incredible light, that’s part of the story.
If children can walk to friends’ houses, that’s part of the story.
If the house sits five minutes from something buyers care about, that’s part of the story.
Features are information.
Lifestyle creates desire.
Photography Should Have a Point of View
Not every room deserves equal billing.
We want to identify the images that stop someone from scrolling.
That may be:
The exterior.
A view.
The kitchen.
The pool.
An architectural detail.
A beautifully designed room.
Or a moment that communicates how the house feels.
This is why staging, design and marketing should not be separate conversations.
They are all part of positioning.
Launch Week: Your Home Has One First Impression
When the listing goes live, we want the entire strategy aligned.
Price.
Presentation.
Photography.
Copy.
Agent outreach.
Digital marketing.
Showing preparation.
And seller expectations.
Because the first days of a listing provide valuable information.
Are buyers clicking?
Are they saving the property?
Are agents sharing it?
Are we getting showings?
Are buyers returning?
Are we receiving questions?
Are offers developing?
We watch all of it.
What If There Is No Offer in the First Week?
Don’t panic.
Luxury homes do not all sell in seven days.
The buyer pool can be smaller.
Unique properties can require more time.
But we do want to understand what the market is telling us.
If buyers aren’t clicking:
That may be positioning, photography or price.
If they’re clicking but not showing:
That may be price or a property-specific concern.
If they’re showing but not offering:
We need to study the feedback.
If we’re receiving offers but they aren’t where we expected:
That’s also market information.
Patience is appropriate.
Ignoring evidence isn’t.
Should I Wait Until Spring to Sell My Westlake Home?
Not automatically.
Spring can be an active selling season, especially for families coordinating moves around school calendars.
But the best time to sell depends on:
Your property.
Your competition.
Your financial goals.
Your next move.
And current demand.
A beautifully prepared house with limited competition can sometimes have an advantage outside the busiest listing season.
Is Now a Good Time to Sell a Home in Westlake Austin? 2026 Eanes Market Guide
How Far in Advance Should I Contact a Realtor?
Ideally?
Before you start spending money.
Three months is wonderful.
Six months isn’t too early.
Even a year out can be useful if you’re considering significant renovations.
A good Realtor should be able to help you determine what does and does not need to happen before the sale.
That advice can potentially save far more money than it costs.
Why We Approach the 90 Days as a Team
At The Council Real Estate Group, three of us evaluate the sale differently.
Natasha Antonioni: Design + Buyer Perception
I look at:
What should change?
What shouldn’t?
Where is the home’s visual value?
What is distracting from it?
What will photograph beautifully?
And what will make the right buyer emotionally connect?
Albina Rippy: Numbers + ROI
Albina brings her CPA and financial-analysis background.
She looks at:
What should we spend?
What is the expected return?
What does waiting cost?
What does the seller net?
And where are we spending money simply because we can?
Holly McCormick: Market + Negotiation
Holly brings more than two decades of real estate and negotiation experience.
She looks at:
How should we price?
Who is our buyer?
What is our competition?
Where do we have leverage?
And how do we protect that leverage once an offer arrives?
Design.
Finance.
Negotiation.
All before the listing goes live.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing a Westlake Home for Sale
How early should I prepare my Westlake home for sale?
Ideally, begin the conversation with your listing agent about 60 to 90 days before you want to list. Properties requiring significant repairs or renovations may benefit from an even longer preparation period.
What should I do first before selling my Westlake home?
Start with a property and market evaluation before making improvements. Understand the home’s current value, likely buyer and competition before deciding where to spend money.
Should I renovate before selling in Westlake Austin?
Not automatically. Major renovations should be evaluated based on cost, timeline, buyer expectations and likely return. Strategic cosmetic improvements may provide a better return for many sellers.
Should I stage my Westlake home?
Often, yes, but staging can range from editing existing furniture to full professional staging. The appropriate strategy depends on the property’s condition, architecture, price point and likely buyer.
Should I sell my Westlake home before buying another house?
That depends on your financial position, risk tolerance and the market for both properties. Sellers should evaluate financing, carrying costs and negotiating leverage before deciding.
How much is my Westlake Austin home worth?
Value depends on recent comparable sales as well as current competition, location, lot, architecture, condition, school zoning, views, privacy and other property-specific characteristics.
How long does it take to sell a home in Eanes ISD?
There is no single timeline for every Eanes property. Price, condition, location, competition and the size of the buyer pool can materially affect time on market.
Is it better to list my Westlake home privately first?
For most sellers seeking maximum exposure, broad market exposure remains important. A private or controlled pre-market strategy may make sense for certain sellers, particularly when privacy is a priority. The tradeoffs should be discussed before choosing a strategy.
What should I NOT fix before selling?
Avoid assuming every dated feature requires replacement. Highly personal renovations, major remodels without clear ROI and improvements the next buyer may immediately change deserve careful scrutiny before you spend money.
Who should I call before renovating a home I’m planning to sell?
If the sale is reasonably foreseeable, speak with an experienced local listing agent before committing to major improvements. The agent should be able to evaluate the proposed work against likely buyer expectations and current competing inventory.
The Best Time to Make Money on Your Sale May Be Before You List
Sellers understandably focus on the offer.
But a significant amount of value can be created or lost before the property ever reaches the market.
The unnecessary $75,000 renovation.
The paint decision that completely changes the photographs.
The furniture arrangement hiding the view.
The pricing strategy that determines whether buyers act or wait.
The landscaping that transforms the arrival.
The decision to launch when three competing homes aren’t available.
These decisions compound.
That’s why if you’re thinking about selling a home in Westlake Austin, Eanes ISD, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Cuernavaca, Woodhaven, 78746 or 78733, I would start the conversation before you feel ready to list.
At The Council Real Estate Group at Compass, we’ll walk through the property with you and build the plan backward from your ideal sale.
Not:
“What can we change?”
But:
“What is actually worth changing?”
That’s where the 90-day plan begins.
Who are local real estate experts in Westlake and Eanes ISD?
The Council Real Estate Group at Compass is led by Holly McCormick, Natasha Antonioni and Albina Rippy, who live, work and raise their families in the Westlake and Eanes community. Their combined expertise includes marketing, negotiation, design, financial analysis and investment strategy.
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