1st impressions count. Prospective buyers will come to your property and go through your home, often with a fine toothed comb. An investment in time and money will often give your home an advantage over other similar listings when showing it to potential buyers.
The following is a checklist of tips and comments that will assist you in preparing your home for sale.
General Impressions
- House exterior is in good repair
First Impressions
- Clean and tidy entrance
- Functional doorbell
- Polished and functional door hardware
- Fresh air in house – especially after cooking
Seasonal:
- Summer – lawn cut and raked; hedges and shrubs trimmed; garden weeded
- Fall – leaves raked; walkway, decks and patio swept
- Winter – clear snow and ice; sand/salt walkways if required
Interior Maintenance
- repair cracked plaster
- touch up paint
- tighten door knobs and cupboard latches
- clean furnace and humidifier
- replace light bulbs
- oil squeaky doors
Bathrooms
- polish mirrors and fixtures
- repair leaky taps and toilets
- ensure seals around tubs and basins are in good repair
- clean the floors
- empty the garbage
- put away clutter
- clean inside of cupboards and cabinets
- ensure towels are clean and matching
Kitchen
- polish sinks and taps
- clean appliances
- put away small appliances
- put away clutter
- clean inside of cupboards and cabinets
- clear and clean countertops
Creating the Right Atmosphere
- turn on all lights
- turn on air conditioner in warm weather
- turn on fireplace in cool weather
- ensure closets are neat and tidy
- clear all halls and stairs of clutter
- open draped during the day
- vacuum carpets
Valuables
- lock valuables safely away or take with you
- keep safely out of reach if not put away
For the Showing
- remove or contain pets during showings
- try to be out of the home during showing.
If this is not possible:
- let the realtor show the property
- don’t follow – stay in the background unless asked a question
- do not offer too much information