Recent sale size and price levels give you a more useful prep target.
If you are preparing to sell in Auburn, WA, you need to know what standard buyers have been rewarding, not just what you hope they notice. I would use recent closings as the benchmark, because the typical sold home measured 1,639 square feet and closed around $307 per square foot over the previous 30 days.
Preparation works best when it has a market target. In Auburn, WA, a typical sold home recently measured 1,639 square feet, and typical closed pricing came in at $307 per square foot over the previous 30 days.
That tells me sellers should think in terms of competitiveness, not perfection. I would focus first on the condition issues that most directly affect how your home is judged against other recently closed properties of similar size, because those are the issues most likely to push your pricing power up or down.
Fix the items that change first impressions and usable space. Review your planned list price against the recent $307 per square foot benchmark. Decide whether your home shows like something that deserves to sit above, at, or below the recent Auburn, WA norm.
