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The number one thing to check before a listing goes live? Accuracy. From the list price and property details to the photos, showing instructions, and the MLS description — every detail matters. One small mistake creates confusion for buyers and agents alike, and it can cost you valuable days on market.
Here's the pre-publish checklist top listing agents run before any property hits the market:
1. Double-Check the Price
A transposed digit is the most expensive typo in real estate. Confirm the list price matches what you and your client agreed to — in the MLS, on the yard sign order, and in every piece of marketing.
2. Verify Beds, Baths, and Square Footage
Bedroom and bathroom counts must match public records and the actual property. Square footage should come from the assessor's card or a measured figure — not a guess. Discrepancies here kill buyer trust and can blow up appraisals.
3. Review Every Photo
Check that the photos actually belong to this property (it happens more than you'd think), that they're oriented correctly, and that the lead image sells the home's best angle. Blurry, dark, or sideways photos tell buyers the agent doesn't care.
4. Confirm Showing Instructions
Lockbox code, access notes, showing hours, tenant-occupied restrictions — if the instructions are wrong, showings don't happen. And every missed showing is a missed offer.
5. Match MLS to Marketing
Your MLS description, website listing, social posts, and flyers should all tell the same story: same price, same details, same features. Inconsistencies make buyers — and their agents — wonder what else is off.
The Takeaway for Sellers
A great listing starts with getting the details right, and that starts with choosing an agent who sweats them. Chris Doherty closes 100+ transactions a year across Greater Lowell as one of the region's top-producing agents — and accuracy is non-negotiable on every one of his listings. Selling? Call 978-857-9580.
