Preparing your
house for sale.
Curb appeal, Curb, appeal, Curb appeal, you have to get them to
look before they buy. Making your house look attractive from the
street is a must! A buyer will
never get the chance to see all of the good things your home has to offer if
they don’t come through the door.
Start
with the Mail Box:
If
it needs paint….paint it. If the
post needs to be replaced….replace it.
If there is a flag, make sure it shows RED. If the house numbers are faded, paint them or replace them. If
there are flowers or shrubs around the post make sure that they are as fresh as
possible and neatly trimmed.
The
Yard:
Neatness
counts! Keep the grass mowed, flowerbeds
weeded, shrubs trimmed and not obscuring windows. If you have vines looking cultivated and
neatly trimmed and keep them from covering windows.
Pick
up grass
trimmings, twigs, and dead branches. Trim
all shrubs and keep them looking neat.
Get
rid of any type of standing water; clean out ponds and birdbaths. Yard ornaments, statues of animals and so on
should be put away. Let the buyer
visualize how they would landscape and decorate the yard. Remove cloths lines, straighten
leaning posts, clean and paint anything that needs it. Remove anything that
is unsightly.
Don’t
forget the CACTUS! If they need to be trimmed,
do it. If they are an eyesore, remove
them. Don’t let debris from the
neighborhood collect in them, nothing looks worse than a plastic bag or
newspaper stuck on a cactus.
Remove
inoperable vehicles from your yard or drive. Do
not leave yard equipment, lawn mower, tools, or other implements out.
Make
sure all outside lights are working.
Make sure all locks and latches work.
If
you have dogs, make sure that their areas are clean and attractive. Clean up any excrement from the yard. If your dog is a digger, fill in the holes.
If
you have a grill, spruce it up.
Clean racks and the appearance of serviceability will make a good
impression.
Many
buyers do not want to be responsible for caring for a swimming pool. If you have one keep it clean and free of
leaves and debris every day.
Make sure that the lights pump and filter are in good working
order. A pool in poor condition is a
real negative to buyers.
If
you have a patio, make it look visually appealing and comfortable. Arrange furniture in an attractive way, if
you have an umbrella, open it and leave it up.
Flowers in containers are always a nice touch.
The
Driveway:
If
you have a gravel drive, make sure there are no bare spots. Get rid of any grass or weeds sprouting
in the drive to avoid an unkempt look.
If
you have concrete or asphalt cracks, repair them. The materials can be purchased from nearly
any hardware store at little expense.
If
there are flowers along the drive, make them look good.
Rusted
or broken basketball hoops should be removed or put in good order.
Trash
cans should
be replaced if they look bad.
If
there is clutter in the drive, toys, bikes, etc. get rid of it.
Prune
or cut back any tree limbs or shrubs that encroach on the drive. Buyers do not want any vegetation that can
hamper them in getting in and out of their car.
Fences:
If
they are in need of repair, do it.
If a property looks run down you will loose a buyer’s interest. Fix sagging gates, replace missing
ones. Replace missing pickets,
rusty latches, paint where needed.
Walkways:
Fill
or fix cracks
in concrete or asphalt. Get rid of
any weeds between bricks or stone. Fill
in missing mortar between stones or bricks. Attend to flower beds. Make sure that all walkway lighting
works. Keep the walks free of dirt
and debris.
Outside
and around your house:
Make
sure that the exterior of your house is clean and looks
maintained.
Repair
any ornamentation like shutters, posts or columns. Paint, Paint, Paint where necessary.
Paint
makes everything look fresh. Remove any rust from
ironwork, if you have a sagging porch, consider shoring it up. Avoid showing any sign of deterioration
or instability anywhere!
Paint peeling trim around doors
and windows. Make sure to scrape any loose paint before painting.
Paint or replace broken
light fixtures.
Get
rid of wasp
nests and or beehives.
Make
the front entry as inviting as possible. Polish
the doorknobs, and brass kicker plate. Paint
the front door a compatible but contrasting color from the body of the house
and trim. This gives a very pleasing
visual impact. Make sure glass in the door is sparkling!
Make
those house numbers stand out.
They must be visible from the street.
Potted
or hanging plants on the front porch invite you in.
Window boxes are inexpensive to buy and add lots of charm
to any porch. If you are not good with
live plants there are great, inexpensive artificial plants that can do the
trick.
Make
sure that the doorbell looks good and works.
If
the screen in the front storm door is poked out, torn or just looks bad,
replace it. Screening is very
inexpensive.
Wash
the windows!!! The more light you let into your home for
showing the better.
Make
sure that the lock in the front door (all doors for that matter) is in
good working order.
New
owners don’t want to work with locks that are hard to open every time they use
a door.
Now
for the Interior:
Lets
take a general look at the entire house:
Carpets: Are they worn or dirty.
If dirty clean them…if worn do they need to be replaced?
Keep in mind that the need to replace carpets
right away is a major drawback for potential buyers.
Cleaning: make sure that every room is thoroughly cleaned. Anything that is not clean and is not
straightened leaves a truly negative impression on a buyer. Make sure the light fixtures are
clean and free of bugs. Clean the switch
boxes, no dirt or fingerprints.
Make sure the wall outlet covers are clean. Spruce up the baseboards throughout
the house.
Store
any excess furniture that you can do without (plant stands, occasional tables,
footstools…), buyers like to see lots of space. Let them envision how
their things might fill the space, not how your things do.
Keep
those closets straightened and neat.
If
you have house pets, it is essential that your house does not smell like
them. This could be devastating you in
trying to sell your house. Bad smells trigger an instant negative response
that is very hard to change. Change the
cat litter; cooking odors can also be a turn off. Bathe the dog. Set out
baskets of potpourri. Invest in an
electronic ionizer if the odors are strong.
Fill
all of those nail holes, filling compound is easy to use and very inexpensive.
If
the walls need to be painted, paint them.
Paint hides a multitude of sins!
If doors
squeak, oil them.
Polish
and wax, all wood and metal…make it clean and shiny…it sells!
Keep
the wall space open, if you have lots of pictures on the walls take them down, you will be
surprised how much bigger the room will look.
Rooms:
The
Living Room:
Clean
the
fireplace, fireplace screen and tools.
Make
sure couch pillows are fluffed and placed.
Make
sure all lighting works.
Make
sure the drapes are clean.
Make
sure the blinds are clean, and in good working order. If they need repair, repair them. If they
need to be replaced, replace them.
When
showing a house, never have the TV on soft music is sometimes a good
idea. If you have doors to hide the
TV close them.
Keep
the curtains and blinds open. Bright sun lit homes sell.
Kitchen:
Keep
it spotless! Keep your trash container
outside or in the garage. Look out
for those unpleasant smells, the kitchen is where many originate.
Make
sure the floor is kept clean and is in good condition.
Make
your kitchen bright. People like a bright kitchen.
Remove
all clutter from countertops, keep cabinets as clean as possible. Make it look like there is plenty of space,
get rid of these appliances and utensils that you do not use often…store them!
Fix leaking and dripping
faucets.
Get
that stove clean, this is often a judge of how good of a housekeeper you are.
Don’t
forget the dishwasher, clean the inside, nothing is worse than to see a dishwasher that is
dirty on the inside!
Bathroom:
It
is a must that the bathroom is kept absolutely clean and odor free!
Fix
or replace
leaking faucets.
If
a drain is slow or does not work, fix it…buyers notice this.
Fix any pealing chrome.
Replace that old worn toilet seat.
Make
sure that there is no soap scum…anywhere!
Fix the towel rack and toilet
paper dispenser, if they look bad, replace them. This is another inexpensive replacement that can be made but can
make a world of difference to a buyer.
Re-caulk wherever necessary, clean
the grout, shower and floor.
Clean
the mirrors,
hair in combs and brushes is a real turn off. Clean them and put them out of sight.
Bathrooms
need to be clean and sparkle….
Bedrooms:
Get
rid of unnecessary furniture…. spacious bedrooms are what people look for.
Keep
those closets clean and neat.
Make
the bed every day……you never know when a buyer will come along.
The
Garage:
If
possible, clean oil spots from the floor. Quite often kitty litter can
do the trick. Pour some on the oil
spot, grind it in with your foot, let is set for 10-12 hours and sweep it
up. This can make a world of
difference.
Get
rid of all of that STUFF you have wanted to get rid of for years…now is the
time.
Make
sure things are neatly stacked or hung. Create space, the buyer may have
a truck or RV he needs to park somewhere.
Clean,
Clean, Clean, stack and hang things, keep the floors open. Garages are one of those places that people
expect a little clutter in, surprise them, and keep yours to a minimum.
Don’t
over improve
the garage; it is one of those areas where cost cannot be fully recaptured at
time of sale.
A
well lit garage helps, make it bright…it reduces that closed in feeling. Find a way to ventilate it, fans
help. A stuffy garage is not all that
appealing.
Keep
in mind, the basic rules in showing your house, ‘Curb Appeal, Curb
Appeal, Curb Appeal’, ‘Less is more’, ‘Clutter
Kills’ and ‘Cleanliness is everything’.!!! We hope that these tips will help
you; others have found them to be very useful in preparing their property For
Sale By Owner.
Complements
of:
Phone:
520-877-2656
FAX:
502-544-0157
.