Preparing your home to sell

Many things need to be considered when getting your home ready to sell. Buyers usually take about 20 minuties to decide if they like your home or not. Preparing your home, inside and out is very important.

Indoor and Outdoor Cleaning

*Outside the front of your home: mow, rake, weed, and trim.
*Oil squeaky door hinges and wash the door/entryway windows.
*Clean light fixtures and switch plates.
*Clean all appliances.
*Clean curtains, drapes, and blinds.

Repair Broken or Malfunctioning Items

*Doorknobs (interior and exterior), doorbells, locks, and cabinet knobs.
*Toilets, leaky faucets, slow drains.
*Window sash cords, locks, storm windows.
*Superficial cracks on the walls or ceiling.
*All appliances.
*Peeling wallpaper or paint.

Remove Personal Property

*Old or off-season coats, hats, and boots.
*Wall hangings and posters.
*Kitchen appliances (especially important because they obscure counter space!)
*Old clothing, shoes, accessories.
*Books, collectibles or collections of any kind.
*Sports and recreation equipment.

Use Paint To Improve Home's Image


*Front door, front storm door, front door frame.
*Mailbox, exterior light fixtures (especially near the front door).
*Shutters, downspouts, gutters, and other exterior trim.
*Any areas with stains from old problems that have been corrected

Projects To Avoid
Improvement projects rarely pay for themselves. Consider a home improvement only if you have time, it involves an important area of the home such as the view from the street, the front door/entryway, the kitchen, or main bathrooms. The only exception to this general rule is when you are "completing an image" that directly appeals to a buyer. For example, say your home has an updated furnace, electrical, and plumbing systems, but your roof will need to be replaced in less than a year. In this example, you should consider a new roof because your home will be fully updated and will appeal even to buyers that are afraid of doing updates themselves.

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