Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

What you Can do to Make Your Home As Desirable as Possible!

• Keep the lawn mowed and the yard free of clutter
• Keep the walkways and steps free of ice, snow, leaves, and toys.
• Turn your porch lights on when showing your home in the evenings.
• Try to avoid having strong odors in your house- fresh baked cookies would be great!
• Do not smoke. Do your smoking outside during the entire time that your home is on the market. You could actually lose a sale to non-smoking buyers if it smells smokey.
• Keep the drapes and blinds open. Let as much light into the rooms as possible.
• Have flowers and greenery throughout the house.
• Keep the temperature at a comfortable setting.
• Have the fireplace on if it’s a cold day.
• Turn the television off and have soft music playing.
• Clean your bathrooms and kitchen. Don’t leave dirty dishes around.
• Keep your closets free of clutter.
• Clean those easy-to-forget rooms like the garage, attic, basement, and work area.
• Clean up the windows and mirrors.
• Be sure to scrub the floors and vacuum.

Increase the Appeal of your Home!

• If it is needed, paint the inside. It’s best to use neutral colors. Fill the holes and cracks on the walls and ceilings.
• Replace your old wallpaper if it is in bad shape. Otherwise, just make sure the walls are clean.
• Remove the stains in the sinks and bath tub.
• Replace the tile in your bath and kitchen if needed. However, most of the time, a good mildew remover and some grout will take care of unsightly tile.
• Have your carpets cleaned.
• Go around the house and tighten or replace missing door and cabinet handles.
• If doors are hard to open and shut or they squeak, lubricate them. (Soap can actually work as a lubricant on drawers or doors.)
• This is the time to have those cracked windows fixed. You can have the glass replaced at your local hardware store or glass shop. It’s not as expensive as replacing the entire window.
• Also, fix those leaky faucets and make sure the drains in your tub and sinks are not clogged.
• If your hot water heater or furnace needs replacing, do it. Add the cost into the price of your home. New buyers don’t want the hassle right after moving in. This would also give them the option of financing the added cost- something they couldn’t do after the sale.
• Make the necessary repairs to your roof if it leaks. If there are water marks on walls or ceiling, cover them with a coat of paint after you make the repairs. Note: You must tell the buyers about material defects on a property that would not be apparent during a routine investigation.
• Accent your entryway. Think of using the entryway to make a favorable first impression. Be creative in making your home stand out from other homes.