Plumbing and Fixtures
All your sink fixtures should look
shiny and new. If this cannot be
accomplished by cleaning, buy new
ones where needed. If you don’t buy
something fancy, this can be
accomplished inexpensively and they
are fairly easy to install. Make
sure all the hot and cold water
knobs are easy to turn and that the
faucets do not leak. If they do,
replace the washers. It is not
difficult at all.
Check to make sure you have good
water pressure and that there are no
stains on any of the porcelain. If
you have a difficult stain to
remove, one trick is to hire a
cleaning crew to go through and
clean your home on a one-time basis.
They seem to be wonderful at making
stains go away.
Ceilings, Walls and Painting
Check all the ceilings for water
stains. Sometimes old leaks leave
stains, even after you have repaired
the leak. Of course, if you do have
a leak, you will have to get it
repaired, whether it is a plumbing
problem or the roof leaks.
You should do the same for walls,
looking for not only stains, but
also areas where dirt has
accumulated and you just may not
have noticed. Plus, you may have an
outdated color scheme.
Painting can be your best investment
when selling your home. It is not a
very expensive operation and often
you can do it yourself. Do not
choose colors based on your own
preferences, but based on what would
appeal to the widest possible number
of buyers. You should almost always
choose an off-white color because
white helps your rooms appear bright
and spacious.
Carpet and Flooring
Unless your carpet appears old and
worn, or it is definitely an
outdated style or color, you
probably should do nothing more than
hire a good carpet cleaner. If you
do choose to replace it, do so with
something inexpensive in a fairly
neutral color.
Repair or replace broken floor
tiles, but do not spend a lot of
money on anything. Remember, you are
not fixing up the place for
yourself. You want to move. Your
goal is simply to have as few
negative impressions upon those who
may want to purchase your property.
Windows and Doors
Check all of your windows to make
sure they open and close easily. If
not, a spray of WD40 often helps.
Make sure there are no cracked or
broken windowpanes. If there are,
replace them before you begin
showing your home.
Do the same things with the doors –
make sure they open and close
properly, without creaking. If they
do, a shot of WD40 on the hinges
usually makes the creak go away. Be
sure the doorknobs turn easily, and
that they are cleaned and polished
to look sharp. As buyers go from
room to room, someone opens each
door and you want to do everything
necessary to create a positive
impression.
Odor Control
For those who smoke, you might want
to minimize smoking indoors while
trying to sell your home. You could
also purchase an ozone spray that
helps to remove odors without
creating a masking odor.
Pets of all kinds create odors that
you may have become used to, but are
immediately noticeable to those with
more finely tuned olfactory senses.
For those with cats, be sure to
empty kitty litter boxes daily.
There are also products that you can
sprinkle in a layer below the kitty
litter that helps to control odor.
For those with dogs, keep the dog
outdoors as much as possible. You
might also try sprinkling carpet
freshener on the carpet on a
periodic basis.
Costs of Repairs
Do not do anything expensive, such
as remodeling. If possible, use
savings to pay for any repairs and
improvements – do not go charging up
credit cards or obtaining new loans.
Remember that part of selling a
house is also preparing to buy your
next home. You do not want to do
anything that will affect your
credit scores or hurt your ability
to qualify for your next mortgage.
Fixing Up Outside the House
Most real estate advice tells you to
work on the outside of the house
first, but unless there is a major
project involved, we believe it is
best to do it last. There are two
main reasons for this. First, the
first steps in preparing the
interior of the house are easier.
They also help develop the proper
mind set required for selling -
beginning to think of your "home" as
a marketable commodity. Second, the
exterior is the most important. A
homebuyer’s first impression is
based on his or her view of the
house from the real estate agent’s
car.
So take a walk across the street and
take a good look at your house. Look
at nearby houses, too, and see how
yours compares.
Landscaping
Is your landscaping at least average
for the neighborhood? If it is not,
buy a few bushes and plant them. Do
not put in trees. Mature trees are
expensive, and you will not get back
your investment. Also, immature
trees do not really add much to the
appearance value of the home.
If you have an area for flowers, buy
mature colorful flowers and plant
them. They add a splash of vibrancy
and color, creating a favorable
first impression. Do not buy bulbs
or seeds and plant them. They will
not mature fast enough to create the
desired effect and you certainly
don’t want a patch of brown earth
for homebuyers to view.
Your lawn should be evenly cut,
freshly edged, well watered, and
free of brown spots. If there are
problems with your lawn, you should
probably take care of them before
working on the inside of your home.
This is because certain areas may
need re-soding, and you want to give
it a chance to grow so that re-sod
areas are not immediately apparent.
Plus, you might want to give
fertilizer enough time to be
effective.
Always rake up loose leaves and
grass cuttings.
House Exterior
The big decision is whether to paint
or not to paint. When you look at
your house from across the street,
does it look tired and faded? If so,
a paint job may be in order. It is
often a very good investment and
really spruces up the appearance of
a house, adding dollars to offers
from potential homebuyers.
When choosing a color, it should not
be something garish and unusual, but
a color that fits well in your
neighborhood. Of course, the color
also depends on the style of your
house, too. For some reason,
different shades of yellow seem to
elicit the best response in
homebuyers, whether it is in the
trim or the basic color of the
house.
As for the roof, if you know your
house has an old leaky roof, replace
it. If you do not replace a leaky
roof, you are going to have to
disclose it and the buyer will want
a new roof, anyway. Otherwise, wait
and see what the home inspector
says. Why spend money unnecessarily?
The Back Yard
The back yard should be tidy. If you
have a pool or spa, keep it freshly
maintained and constantly cleaned.
For those that have dogs, be sure to
constantly keep the area clear of
"debris." If you have swing sets or
anything elaborate for your kids, it
probably makes more sense to remove
them than to leave them in place.
They take up room, and you want your
back yard to appear as spacious as
possible, especially in newer homes
where the yards are not as large.
The Front Door & Entryway
The front door should be especially
sharp, since it is the entryway into
the house. Polish the door fixture
so it gleams. If the door needs
refinishing or repainting, make sure
to get that done.
If you have a cute little plaque or
shingle with your family name on it,
remove it. Even if it is just on the
mailbox. You can always put it up
again once you move. Get a new plush
door mat, too. This is something
else you can take with you once you
move.
Make sure the lock works easily and
the key fits properly. When a
homebuyer comes to visit your home,
the agent uses the key from the lock
box to unlock the door. If there is
trouble working the lock while
everyone else stands around
twiddling their thumbs, this sends a
negative first impression to
prospective homebuyers.
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