Preparing Your Home For Sale

The Absolute Basics 

Start by airing out the home.  You are the last person to notice any peculiar odor in your home that may be blatantly obvious to visitors.  Go on a search to find the offender.  It may be a kitty litter box or a dog bed.  It might even be a mildewed shower.

Next, wash all the windows in the house, inside and out.  While you're at it, clean the windowsills and the bottom of the window jambs, and wash the blinds.

If it has been over a year since you've had the carpets cleaned, now is the time to do it.  The bare floors should also be waxed or polished.      

Put bright light bulbs in every socket made for a bulb.  Buyers like bright and cheer. You'll also want to keep the drapes and shades open during the day, even if you're not in the habit, because it will make the property look better.

The next item on the required list is to clean out all of the closets, cabinets, and drawers.  Get rid of things you haven't used in the past five years and pack up everything that you haven't used in the last year.

Do it without conscience or remorse.  You're going to have to do it anyway when you move.  The main reason is that it will make the storage space look larger.  Surely, you don't want to pay a mover to haul things that you never use.

Closets should look as they have enough room to hold additional items.  You might need to box up off-season clothes to make it look that way.  Get everything off the floor and don't have the shelves piled to the ceiling.

Another basic requirement for home preparation is to be sure there is not too much furniture in a room.  Even though it may be inconvenient, you will be far better off by selecting the pieces that look best and putting the others in the garage, basement, or better yet, in storage.  You can rent one of those mini-warehouses for a few dollars a month.

You need to go over the kitchen like a health inspector.  Clean the oven.  After cleaning the range, put new drip pans under the burners, or at least, cover the old ones with foil.  Clean around the seal of the door to the dishwasher.

Bathtubs, showers and sinks should be freshly caulked.  All the grout should be clean and in good condition.  There are excellent cleaners that will do the job without tons of scrubbing.  There should be no leaks in the faucets or traps.

Put fresh towels out in the bathrooms and replace the shower curtain if needed.

A few unrelated suggestions

If you have limited counter space in the kitchen, be sure to keep unnecessary items put away.

Keep children's toys out of the front yard and off the sidewalks and front porch.  Get the teenagers and children to understand the importance of keeping the house looking good while it is on the market.  Take down the posters until the house is sold.

Recognize the difference between decorator touches and clutter or sterility.

Clean the ashes out of the fireplace during the season that it isn't being used.

Keep the television turned off while the home is being shown.

Make sure that the pull-down staircase is screwed together and strong enough to be used safely.  Be sure there is a light in the attic.

If you don't have time for a garage sale, consider donating things to charity.

For those willing to go the extra mile

There are some things you can do that will really add flair to your home.  They might include changing out the wallpaper in the entry, kitchen, or bathrooms.  It might be replacing light fixtures that are dated or just ugly.

Some enterprising homeowners will completely paint inside and put all new floor coverings down.  Others might add new window treatments.

New appliances in the kitchen can be an exciting feature that can actually make the difference in a prospect choosing your home over another.  Ask us if we feel the added value to your home would offset the cost of purchasing appliances.

As your agent, I can recommend vendors and contractors that will usually cost much less.

 It's Show time

Someone has just called to show the house and now all the hard work you've done to make it look good is about to pay off.  You just need a few last minute touches.

When the agent arrives with the prospects, have the drapes and window shades open to let in as much daylight as possible.  If it happens to be night, be sure that all of your outdoor lights are on, especially landscape and pool lights if you have them.

Be sure to remove any of the unnecessary items and that any dirty dishes are put in the dishwasher.  Take out the trash if needed.

If you have pets, get them out of the way.  Not everyone may share your love for animals.  Some people may even be allergic to them.

The beds should be made and clothes picked up.  Bathrooms should be clean and the toilet lid down.