Getting Your Home Ready for Sale: What Should You Clear Out Before the Photos and Showings?

You've decided to sell your house. Even before the real estate agent comes to take pictures, there's already a big job waiting for you: decluttering. Buyers look inside every closet, in the basement, and in the attic, and clutter stands out more in photos than you might think.

In this article, you'll learn what needs to be cleared out before the photo sessions and showings, whether your home needs to be completely empty, and what certificates you need in Flanders.

1. Does your house need to be completely empty?

Not necessarily. According to notaris.be A tidy and well-maintained home makes a big difference during showings. There is no clear evidence as to whether a completely empty home sells faster or for a higher price. In an American experiment, buyers offered roughly the same amount for a home with nice furniture, with ugly furniture, or with no furniture at all.

What does matter: Buyers need to be able to imagine themselves living there. A tidy home with a few nice pieces of furniture often looks cozier than a completely empty house. If you no longer live there—for example, after a death or a move—you can have most of your belongings removed and leave a few good pieces of furniture in place until the sale.

2. What needs to be taken care of before the photos and visits?

• Personal belongings: Family photos, collections, papers on the fridge. Buyers want to picture themselves living there, not you.
• Unwanted furniture: A room with less furniture looks bigger. Remove any extra chairs, cabinets, and small tables.
• Full cabinets: Buyers take a look inside. Cabinets that are half-full show that there is plenty of storage space.
• Basement, attic, and garage: Buyers want to see the space, not the boxes. A cluttered attic looks smaller than it actually is.
• The garden and the driveway: old flower pots, firewood, yard waste, and broken patio furniture. The exterior is the first thing buyers see—even in the photos.
• Broken or worn-out items: A broken chair or a stained mattress gives a bad impression of the whole house.

Before and after: a driveway we cleared out.

3. Start on time

Notaris.be recommends starting early, because the process often takes longer than expected. A practical step-by-step guide:

1. Start with the things you no longer use: attic, basement, garage, and garden shed.
2. Select by room What to take with you to your new home, what to sell or give away, and what to throw away.
3. Have the rest picked up all at once, so you don't have to drive to the recycling center for weeks on end.
4. Then clean thoroughly, and don't take the photos until everything is ready.

4. What certificates do you need in Flanders?

• EPC: It must be available no later than when the first ad is posted. It must have been issued in 2019 or later, and the score must be included in the ad. If the energy efficiency rating is E or lower, you must also mention the buyer’s obligation to renovate.
• Asbestos Certificate: Required when selling a building constructed before 2001. The buyer must receive it no later than when the preliminary sales agreement is signed.
• Electrical Inspection: Without an inspection report, the sale cannot proceed. A negative report does not block the sale, but the buyer must then have the system repaired.
• Soil Test and urban planning information (no more than one year old): The notary usually requests this.
• Flood risk: Since 2023, the P-score and the G-score must be included in every sales ad.

Does your home have a poor EPC rating (E or F)? If so, the buyer must renovate it to at least a D rating within six years of the deed of sale. This may affect the price. More info at vlaanderen.be.

5. What happens after the sale?

On the day of the closing, the buyer receives the keys, and the home usually has to be vacant by then. You can read about what to do next in our article Sold your house? Here's how to hand over the property empty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to clear out my house before selling it?

Not entirely. A tidy home with a few nice pieces of furniture is sufficient for viewings. The house usually needs to be empty only by the time the deed is signed.

When is the best time to schedule a pickup?

Before the real estate agent takes pictures. That way, the rooms will look spacious and tidy, and you won't have to do it twice.

Can you also just clear out the basement, attic, or garage?

Yes. We'll remove what you've indicated and leave the rest as is. Check out our estimated prices on the prices page.