Preparing your Home to sell
- Main entrance should be flawless
- Clean and paint exterior where needed
- Landscaping manicured
- Pressure wash driveway, masonry and fence
- Clean and replace and broken windows
- If needed, paint front door, make sure hardware works properly and seals correctly
- Fence and gate function properly
- Storage areas should be well organized
Inside entire house
- Don’t leave anything of value lying around
- If there is anything that is sensitive to the touch and could fall apart if someone touches it, put it in closet
- Family photos should not be the center of attention. Limit to one or two per room
- Remove clutter throughout the house.
- Closets should be clear of clutter (Expect a buyer to open every door in the house)
- Neutral and light colors
- Clutter free and light colors opens up the room and makes it look bigger
- Walls and floors should be clean (including grout from tile)
- Furniture is staged to give the open feeling and not blocking passageways/closets
- Temperature should be at a comfortable setting for the average person. (Usually around 75°)
- Interior lights should be on
- Interior doors are open
- Windows and window sills should be clean
- Make sure blinds and drapes are clean
- Furniture is dust free throughout
- Air fresheners are a big plus. Potpourri from Bed Bath and Beyond will go a long way
- Open blinds and curtains for natural light to come in (except when what’s outside the window is nothing to be desired)
Kitchen
- Countertops should be sparkling clean and free of clutter (it is ok to leave a few items, but in good taste)
- Remove personal items, magnets, sticky notes, etc. from refrigerator
- No dirty dishes left in sink
- Appliances should be spotless
- Backsplash and cabinets should be free of grease spots
Bedrooms
- Most buyers look at the size of the room and not so much what is in it.
- Should be neat, clean and clutter free
- Make all beds and make sure nothing is out of place
Bathrooms
- Toilets are spotless
- Mirrors are spotless
- Don’t want to give the impression that the bathroom needs work. Clean and replace anything that needs replacing.
- A couple hundred dollars on fixtures in bathrooms makes a big difference
Time to show
- Every room should be accessible
- Give the buyer as much time as he/she/they need to look at the house
- Leave the house and return after the buyer has left the property
- If you can help it, don’t leave pets in the house
Garage
- Well organized and clutter free
- Trash cans should be cleaned inside and outside
- Touch up paint available for your buyer
Thank you to the buyer
You can leave some freshly baked cookies and some bottled water for the potential buyer with a note:
Welcome to your new home! We are confident you will love it as much as we have (something to that effect)
