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Prepare Your Home For Sale

Simple Tips to prepare your home for sale

Exterior

  • Start by trimming, cutting, pruning the grass, trees, bushes and shrubs.
  • Weed and add fresh mulch to flower beds , it’s a great look for a low cost.
  • Apply a new coat of paint to any fences.
  • Power wash the exterior, driveways, walkways, patios and decks.
  • Paint the house if it needs it, new paint on the outside can make the home look updated.
  • Make sure gutters and downspouts are attached and functional.
  • Buy a new welcome mat.
  • Plant some bright flowers in places that could use some brightening.
  • Clean windows inside and out – make them sparkle.
  • Make sure your house numbers are easy to see.

 

Interior

  • Replace the light bulbs in the entry way, which can brighten up the area. Its all about first impressions!
  • Be certain your doorbell works.
  • Lubricate the hinges and locks on the front door, nothing worse than a squeaky door. Make sure the door is in working order. No squeaking, jamming or sticking locks. Getting in the house should be easy.
  • Once inside, make sure the entryway has no clutter: coats, shoes, clothes etc.

 

Common Tips for every room

  • Go through the house and implement the 30% rule; pack up a third of your stuff, you can always retrieve it should you want.
  • Look at the furniture in each room and take anything that disturbs “the flow” or makes it look smaller. Storage units can be an option for any left over clutter, off the property of course.
  • Paint the walls and ceilings. Try to use a neutral color. You don’t want potential buyers to remember your home as “the house with the red bedrooms.”
  • If you have carpets, be sure they are thoroughly cleaned and in good condition.
  • Clean or refinish wood floors.
  • Pack all non essential items from closets. The idea is to create a spacious feel, even in the closets.
  • Be sensitive to the weather conditions, on sunny days have all the blinds and curtains open. Less favorable weather may call for more artificial lighting.
  • Be sure your blinds and window coverings are level.
  • Brighter is always better when it comes to lighting. Update the light bulbs in every room to a minimum of 100 watts, it can create an illusion of size.
  • Replace all burned out light bulbs.
  • Wipe down all light fixtures and ceiling fans.
  • Remove the majority of personal effects, such as family photos, religious artifacts etc. A buyer has to picture the space as their own, and mentally mover. Make it easier for them!
  • If you have pets, get rid of pet odors.

 

Kitchen and Dining Room

  • Make your kitchen look more spacious by removing everything from the counter like the coffeemaker, toaster, flour container, etc.
  • Set the dinner table or counter bar to help buyers envision the room.
  • Make sure the inside of your cabinets are organized and clean. Store non-essential items elsewhere to make the cabinets look more spacious.
  • If your cabinets show wear and tear, you might want to paint them. A simple trick to update the look of your cabinet doors is to replace your current knobs with new ones.
  • Make sure that your counter is spotless and shiny.
  • De-personalize and de-clutter the fridge of notes, pictures, notes and magnets.
  • Make sure garbage and recycling is not in sight.

 

Living Room

  • Remove most personal effects. The buyer wants to envision their family occupying the space.
  • Clean the fireplace.
  • If your furniture shows wear and tear, consider renting or borrowing what you need to make the space look fresh.
  • Open the drapes and blinds. Nothing is more depressing than walking into a home where shades, curtains and drapes are closed.
  • Remove all knick-knacks under 10 inches tall.

 

Bathrooms

  • Hide your trash can, plungers, hampers if you can. Available space is always key in a bathroom.
  • A brand new shower curtain is a great investment; small cost huge impact.
  • Remove all reading material out of sight in the bathroom.
  • Remover personal items like hair dryers, makeup kits, toothbrushes etc.
  • Remove everything from the countertop, except pretty soap sets, candles or fresh flowers.
  • Shine your faucets and knobs and use cleaner to prevent water spots.
  • Keep your shower and tub spotless. Buyers will look behind the curtains!

 

Bedrooms

  • Remember that buyers love to snoop and are likely to look in your closets. Make sure the closets are as spacious looking as they can be. Remove all the clothes, shoes, and items that you won’t be using right away.
  • Candles and fresh flowers are excellent accessories on bedroom furniture.
  • New bedspreads or quilts make a bedroom look inviting.
  • Make your bed look pretty and make sure the bedspread or quilt fits the bed properly and hangs low enough to cover the view under the bed. Buyers won’t look under the bed, so you can store other non-essential items there.
  • Put away the stacks of reading material on night stands and leave room for one good book.
  • In kids’ rooms, posters, photos, drawings and awards are all personal items that should be taken down for showing the house. You want the buyers to imagine the rooms as their own.
  • Put away all items that are hanging off the backs of doors. Cluttered and clanking doors often make the room feel smaller – especially if they don’t allow the door to open all the way.
  • In kids’ bedrooms, be sure to put the toys in boxes or bins, and slide them under the bed.
  • Items that you don’t need should be taken out of the closet to make them more spacious. If you need to, get a storage space for them.

 

The Garage

The garage is usually the area where everything accumulates, so typically it’s a mess. If your garage isn’t clean, buyers may make up their mind about the condition of the rest of the home! May sound extreme, but believe me, this works every time.

  • Empty everything out of the garage. Hose down the floor, and if there are stains remaining, paint it porch gray.
  • Paint the garage walls off-white using a flat latex paint.
  • After the paint is dry – put everything back in the garage piece by piece and throw out what you won’t be taking with you. Then organize what’s left.
  • Use an open bag of charcoal to absorb moisture in the storage shed.
  • If you have too much “stuff,” rent a storage unit and store it there.

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