Seller Special Report
Preparing Your Home For Sale
There’s a reason that builders spend thousands of dollars to “stage” a model home: buyers will buy based on emotion – how they feel about the home. A home that shows exceptionally well will sell more quickly and at a better price. Review the following checklist of market-tested things you can do to give potential buyers a good feeling about your home – many are inexpensive to implement, but will make a big difference.
Outside
Stand across the street and look at your home from a potential buyer’s viewpoint . . .
- lawn trimmed and edged
- windows washed
- shrubs trimmed
- fencing straight and painted
- weeds pulled
- refuse and clutter removed from yard
- flowers planted
- gates checked for easy opening/closing
- leaves raked
- front door washed
- window screens clean; holes repaired
- outside of house free of dust and cobwebs
- exterior paint fresh and clean, no flaking or peeling
Inside
A clean, uncluttered, fresh-smelling home will sell faster!
- All clothing, books, cookware, papers, and personal items not contributing to the décor are stored
- Closets and cabinets organized and tidy (store excess stuff in boxes in shed or garage)
- All lightbulbs checked and replaced with high wattage bulbs
- Doors wiped clean; loose doorknobs fixed; hinges working properly
- Decals and stickers removed from doors, mirrors, etc.
- Window blinds clean and in good working order (replace broken blinds with inexpensive roller shades)
- Walls clean and free of gouges, scratches, tape, unframed posters; freshly painted in neutral color (white or eggshell)
- Kitchen appliances clean (oven, stove, fridge, etc.)
- Tile grout clean and free of chips ¢ dripping faucets fixed
- Fresh towels hung in bathroom ¢ woodwork dusted and polished
- Fireplace cleaned out ¢ furniture dusted, clean and polished
- Carpets and rugs clean and vacuumed ¢ wood and vinyl flooring swept/mopped
- Bathroom fixtures and counters clean
If the list seems daunting, hire a cleaning service and a yard service to do the initial clean-up work after you have uncluttered your home and yard.