PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Exterior

The condition of your home’s exterior is most important when it comes to buyer appeal.

• House number should be easy to read
• Lights on timers to ensure house is lit up after sunset
• Eaves troughs, and down spouts in good repair
• Garage/car port clean and tidy
• Litter picked up
• Cracked or broken window panes replaced
• Doorbell and door hardware in good repair
• Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, fascia, etc.
• Mow, edge and weed the lawn frequently until the home is sold
• Overgrown shrubbery should be cut back to show as much of the exterior as possible
• A low-cost investment in seasonal flowers or ground cover will add a personal touch.
• Inspect the roof for necessary repairs and any visible broken shingles or tiles.
• Stucco water stains can be repaired using a mild bleaching agent.
• Fences should be mended and painted.
• Wash all windows inside and outside.

Interior

Warm and welcoming!

• Lights should be on and drapes should be left open during daylight
• Heat set at a comfortable temperature
• Fresh flowers/plants in various rooms
• Chipped plaster and paint touched up and repaired
• Doors and cupboards properly closed
• Leaky taps and toilets repaired
• Burned out light bulbs replaced
• Squeaky doors oiled
• Mirrors, fixtures, and taps cleaned and polished
• Seals around tubs and basins in good repair
• Floors cleaned, garbage containers emptied
• Inside of closets and cupboards neat and tidy
• Valuable property, out of reach, out of sight, or locked away
• Pets absent, where possible, or contained during showings
• All torn screens should be repaired or replaced.
• Avoid repainting the entire house unless current colors are very loud or offbeat.
• White or light pastels are the easiest to work with and they make your rooms look larger.
• Fireplace lit in cooler weather
• Air conditioner turned on in warm weather
• Countertops neat and polished
• Appliances cleaned
• Inside of closets and cupboards neat and tidy