Get Your Home Ready To Sell
In preparing your house to sell, ask yourself over and over if your house looks like someone else's dream house. Houses in move-in condition tend to be inviting to buyers; houses that are like new typically sell the fastest and procure the best price.
With that in mind, here are a few things to consider when getting ready to sell:
Exterior
Remember the 60-second rule: that's all the time you have to create a good first impression! Mow the lawn, rake leaves, trim trees and shrubs that keep light out of the house and remove dead plants. Pick up tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys, and building materials and store them neatly in a storage area. Replace broken or missing roof shingles and straighten and clean the gutters and downspouts. Clean all windows and fill up the broken putty. Painting your house helps improve curb appeal more than any other fix-up! If you decide against painting the entire house, consider painting the front door, window frames and shutters. Seal or repaint the driveway and repair broken steps and walkways. Paint or replace your mailbox. Dress up the front yard with some simple landscaping. Make neat flower beds and plant colourful flowers if needed.
Clean, Clean, Clean
Step back for a moment and look at your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. Every room should be spotlessly clean, dusted and uncluttered. Steam clean the carpets and wax the floors. Wash the walls, windows and light fixtures. Tighten loose stair railings and clean all doorframes and light switches. In the event that you feel a project of this magnitude is better left to a professional, ask your real estate agent to recommend a cleaning service.
Entryway
Use bright light bulbs in the foyer and throughout the house. Fill the house with a pleasant aroma, such as lavender in the summer or cinnamon in the winter. Open the windows to let fresh air in.
Living Room
Replace the carpet if it's worn. It costs money, but you may find that you will more than recoup that cost when the home sells. Patch cracks and nail holes in the walls, and repaint walls in neutral colors, such as white or ivory. Nail down creaking boards and stair treads. Lubricate any sticking or squeaking doors. Open all curtains, and replace them if they are getting old. Add lamps and lighting if the house is dark. Set out fresh flowers.
Furniture
Rearrange or remove furniture to make your rooms look more spacious. Too much furniture and too many knick-knacks make rooms look cluttered and small. One or two decorative items per surface are plenty, so pack the rest away.
Kitchen and Baths
These rooms should sparkle! Clear off counters, and clean all appliances and fixtures. Scrub the floors and walls. Re-caulk tubs and showers. Remove mildew from the ceiling and the shower walls. Clean these rooms thoroughly, and be sure they smell fresh.
Cupboards
Take those things to the nearest church or welfare organisation that you'll have to discard anyway when you move. Organize shelves and straighten shoes. Be sure that sliding doors operate smoothly and knobs on drawers are secure. All doors must close neatly.
Laundry / scullery
Dust and wash the dishwasher, dryer and washing machine. Scrape out old sealant around the basins. Re-seal again around the basins with new sealant.
Light and Bright
Do everything you can to brighten the interior. Replace wallpaper with white or off-white paint, and repaint shabby or dark walls. Open the blinds, and replace broken windows and window seals. Always maintain a comfortable temperature inside the house, even if you are away for an extended period of time.
Garden
Clean the flowerbeds. Cut back some of the bushes and shrubs to ensure it looks tidy. Remove any weed from paved surfaces and paint the surface if needed. Mow the lawn and water the grass if needed to show it’s green colour again. Clean up the garden where needed and pack away any items not needed or used at this moment. Revarnish the wooden bench and table, put birdseed in the feeder and clean the water feature. Make sure the pump is working. Cut out dead leaves and sweep the driveway, especially during autumn.
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