Preparing Your Home For Sale
When your home is for sale it is also on display. Some window dressing is in order:
  • Start at the front door. Make sure that you home has curb appeal! That begins with a well-maintained lawn and garden, fresh paint on the door, and clean windows.
  • Ask your Realtor or an unbiased friend to go through your house with a critical eye and tell your what needs to be done. Don’t be offended by any comments!
  • Think bright, bright, bright. Remove heavy old curtains and replace any burned-out light bulbs. Put higher-watt bulbs in especially dark spots such as closets and basements.
  • Maximize your home's storage areas. Your basement and attic are more important than you may think. Clean, scrub and sweep. Remove as many items as possible even if it means renting storage space for things you can't sell in a yard sale or throw away. When storage areas are full the space appears smaller.
  • Paint over interior water stains from leaks that aren't active anymore. Are buyers going to believe that the stain is old and the leak has been fixed?
  • Have a complete structural inspection done prior to listing your home for sale to ensure you are aware of, and have corrected, any potential problems.
  • Check all doors to make sure they work smoothly. Remove or repair cranky screen doors. Make sure your locks work, especially the one on the door the realtor will be using with the potential buyer.
  • De-clutter! Put away small kitchen appliances (blender, toaster, etc.). Take out the extra leaf in the dining-room table. Put your off-season clothes away to make more room in the closets. Get rid of as many excess items as you can.
  • Clean the air. A stale smelling home is a real turnoff to potential buyers. Have your rugs shampooed. Open windows and invest in air fresheners.
  • Let the sun shine in. Open all drapes and curtains and show how good your home looks with natural lighting.
  • Paint. It's a cheap fix that can work wonders in your home. A fresh coat of light colored paint can transform a room.
  • Focus on the kitchen, the key room. Fix your broken appliances. Clean your cabinets. Clear your countertops.
  • Make your bathrooms shine. An unattractive bathroom can kill a sale. Fix any loose or broken ceramic tile. Re-caulk where necessary. Make your fixtures sparkle.
  • Get rid of excess furniture. Try to imagine your home as a model home. Let potential buyers focus on your home, not the things in it.
  • A vase of fresh flowers on the kitchen table adds a nice touch.
  • Good Luck!
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