Get Your Home Ready To Sell
l Edge, mow and fertilize the lawn. Reseed sparse areas.
l Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees. Cut back overgrown shrubbery. Put new mulch down to freshen up the landscaping.
l Reseal cracks in foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios. Power-wash the exterior.
l Clean and align gutters and downspouts; clean the chimney.
l Remove oil stains from driveway and garage. Keep walks and driveway swept or free of ice.
l Wash the windows inside and out.
l Hire a cleaning service to thoroughly clean the interior.
l Paint the walls and ceilings off white or beige. Over time ceilings become yellowed. Smoking makes it even more yellowed. New white ceilings instantly brighten an space.
l Repair cracks, holes and damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.
l Replace damaged windowpanes, moldings and woodwork. The less a buyer sees that needs to be fixed, the more confident they will feel about making an offer.
l Repair drippy faucets and shower heads. Unclog slow drains. Drippy faucets and shower heads lead to buyers thinking of plumbing issues, even when they are simple to fix.
l Shampoo carpets, scrub and wax linoleum or wood floors. Carpets hold a large amount of household smells. A good shampoo will keep your home fresh and inviting.
l Clean out the fireplace and lay some logs in it. If you have a foggy gas fire place glass, they can be opened and cleaned. Windex usually does the trick.
l Mend or replace torn screens. Clean out all window tracks. Spider webs are not inviting, not even around Halloween!
l Replace burned-out light bulbs. Use brighter light bulbs. Brighter bulbs will mimic sunshine, even on dreary winter days.
l Re-nail creaking boards or stairs; lubricate squeaking doors. Squeeky floors can make the difference from one home or another for some buyers. Don't miss out because of squeeky floors.
l Clean all appliances (especially refrigerator and oven).
l Replace old toilet seats and shower curtains. Nothing has to be elaborate, but fresh and new really makes a good impression.
l Clear all cobwebs from corners and doorways. A room you hardly go into may especially have webs. When hiring the cleaning service, make sure they know to get them!
l Wash all light switches, handrails and doorknobs. Everyone forgets this, but if you have dirty switches or blackened handrails buyers will notice and assume the rest of the house is not spic and span.