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Preparing Your Home For Sale Try to look at your house "through the eyes of the buyer". Look at it as though you have never seen it before. Any time or money spent on items in this list will bring you more money in return, and hopefully, will result in a faster sale. Exterior Invest in landscaping where it can be seen at first sight. A well-manicured lawn, neatly clipped shrubbery, cleanly swept walks create a good first impression. An extra shot of fertilizer, in season, will make your grass look green and lush. Inspect all plants. Prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking windows. Remove any dead plants, shrubs or trees. Plant some extra flowers for color, especially around the front door area. Weed all planting areas. Paint your home if necessary. This can probably do more for sales appeal than any other factor. If you decide against paint, at least consider touching up the front shutters and window frames. Inspect the roof and gutters. Replace any missing shingles. Ensure gutters and down spouts are in place. Paint the gutters and down spouts if necessary. Consider putting flowers outside the front door in the summer or a wreath on the door in the winter. Repaint the front door. Put a new coat of paint on the mailbox Make sure the doorbell is clean and works. Put down a new doormat. (Not only makes the front door area look better, but it helps protect floors and carpets.) Keep the patio area neat and yard furniture in good repair. Make sure all small items, planters, flower pots, barbecues, toys etc. are stored in a shed or garage. If you can't make sure they are not in the walkways. Go around the perimeter of the house and remove all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc. These can be neatly stacked in the garage. In winter, walks should be free of snow and ice. Repair all fences. Make sure the entry light works. Fix broken windows and torn screens. Wash the windows. Remove grease from the driveway and sidewalks. Patch any holes. Interior General Arrange the furniture and discard unused items so each room appears as spacious as possible. Put away all valuable items, watches, money, art items, etc. Brighten things with fresh paint. It costs very little. White, off white or beige walls make a room look bigger and lighter. They're also more likely to go with the new buyer's furnishings. Clean all your windows and mirrors. Buy higher intensity light bulbs and put them in every lamp in the house. They'll make the rooms seem warmer and brighter. Check all closets for neatly arranged clothes and as few items as possible stored on overhead shelves and on the floors. Wash or clean draperies and curtains if needed. Shampoo carpets and wax floors. Tighten loose doorknobs, pulls on drawers and cabinets, towel racks, switch plates. Clean out the fireplace. Wash fireplace doors if you have them. Lay some logs in it to make it look inviting. Kitchen The kitchen is the most important room in the house. Make it bright and attractive. If dull, paint cabinets and put up bright curtains. Clean the ventilating hood over the stove. Clean the oven. If the kitchen floor is badly worn, put down new flooring. Replace any loose tiles. To remove a loose tile, first soften the adhesive by applying heat with an iron covered by a soft cloth. Remove any appliances that you keep on the counters. Clean counters make the room look larger. Make sure the oven is clean. Clear the front of the refrigerator of all messages, magnets, etc. Make sure sink is clean. Make sure area under sink is dry and has no musty, wet smell. Replace base if necessary. Ensure kitchen faucet does not leak or drip. Arrange the inside of kitchen cabinets in an orderly manner. Bathroom Keep fresh towels in the bathrooms. Use special cleaning products to remove stains from toilets, bathtubs, sinks and showers. Clean shower doors. If sinks and bathtubs drain slowly, unclog them. Paint if necessary. Make sure caulking around tubs and showers is clean and in good repair. Basement Make sure there is plenty of light on the stairs. Fix any wobbly steps. If your basement is dark and gloomy, paint the ceiling and walls a light color. Repairs cracks in the basement floor with ready-mixed concrete. Remove cobwebs from the beams in the basements ceiling. Dust the hot water heater and furnace. Print This Page                                                                                                                                             Return to Top of Page Buyers Best Choice is a true Personal Service Real Estate Agency located in Colorado. Web Design by Amaasing Designs