Homeowners in Maplewood, South Orange, and surrounding New Jersey communities who intend to list their properties in spring 2027 should start preparing now, according to Mark Slade of Mark Slade Homes, a Keller Williams team. Slade and business partner MaryCeu Nunes say that the decisions shaping a final sale price are made months before listing day, and the window to act comfortably is shorter than many sellers realize.
“You need a minimum of six weeks to really go through, declutter, and get the painting done,” Slade says. “When you add all those holidays between now and January 1, you don’t even have six weeks’ worth of time.” The team recommends a phased approach: meet with agents in November or December to walk through the home and begin sorting belongings; in January, list repairs and get estimates; in February, complete painting and minor updates; in March, deep clean and prepare for staging and photography; and in the listing month, finalize price and marketing.
Slade speaks from experience. When he sold his own Maplewood home in 2020, Nunes helped him through decluttering with 15-minute sessions. “You sometimes need that other person,” he says.
On spending, the team advises focusing on projects with the highest return. Removing old carpet tops the list. “Buyers today don’t want someone’s carpeting,” Slade says. “They want to see hardwood floors.” Painting is next: a room costs about $1,000 to $1,200 and adds roughly $5,000 in value, so an eight-room house plus bathrooms could see a $50,000 difference in final sale price. Painting dated kitchen cabinets and adding new hardware typically costs $2,200 to $3,600 and can add $50,000 to $85,000 in perceived value. The team generally advises against full kitchen or bathroom renovations right before selling.
Pricing strategy also matters. The team’s motto is “leaner and meaner.” Nunes recalls pricing a listing about 5 percent below a similar home on the same street; hers sold right away for over asking and more than made up the difference, while the other took three and a half weeks and sold for less. Slade is equally direct about exclusive, off-market listings: in his experience, nearly all sell at or within about 3 percent of asking because there is little competition. A listing on the MLS and sites like Realtor.com and Homes.com reaches far more agents and buyers. “There is rarely a good reason for a seller to give up that exposure,” Slade says.
Before hiring an agent, the team suggests sellers ask: Are you a full-time agent? How much experience do you have in my town and price range? What is your plan to prepare, price and market my home, and how will you communicate with me? Will you personally handle the sale, or will someone else on your team take over after being hired? “The Slade Team—Mark and Mary—are committed to being your start to finish Listing-to-Closed contacts,” Slade says.
Sellers can find more guidance on the team’s seller resources page. The team has closed $500 million in lifetime sales volume and over 850 transactions across 53 New Jersey municipalities.
