If you're planning on selling your home, this Checklist will provide a head start. If you are listing your home with a full service professional Realtor®, their assistance with this phase can begin with a walk through and a "project delete or complete" list. If a lingering project will help your home sell faster and for top dollar, get it finished before you go on the market.
Here are a few general strategies:
1. Organize and Clean:
When the Buyer sees tidy and neat, their impressions are clear that your home has had plenty of tender loving care. They also assume that what they can't see must have also been well maintained. Consider renting short-term mini storage space. It will more than pay for itself. When Buyers see an empty closet, they appreciate all the wonderful storage space in your home. However, if closets are full to the brim, Buyers assume the home is short on storage space.
2. Lighting:Beyond clean and orderly, lighting makes a major impact when a Buyer walks through your home. Position furniture, adjust drapes, organize walk out and garden basement to MAXIMIZE all the natural light possible. Leave unusual closet or basement lights on.
3. Staging your home:Placement of furniture for its ideal location may involve minor changes to help rooms feel larger and more open.
As a result, the Buyer may have an altogether different sense of space, giving the best possible inspiration for their furniture placement.
4. Landscaping:Generally, this tops the list of dollar return for investment, especially if you're providing the labor. Take out the last remaining weeds, set out a few extra flowers, trim the hedges, cut back older overgrown shrubs and let the home shine from every angle. If necessary, have a professional tree trimmer provide services.
5. Time of Year:If at all possible, try to avoid selling during the months of November and December, when fewer Buyers are active. On the other hand, January can be a block buster month given the release of pent up market demand of the previous two months.
Here's a list to help you get started:
Wash all windows inside and out. Curtains and drapes should be fresh and attractive.
Open all drapes, pull up shades, and let the natural light in.
Get all bugs and flies out of all light fixtures and clean fixtures.
Put higher watt bulbs in all fixtures for better lighting, particularly in basements.
If possible, keep cats, dogs, birds and other pets out of the way. Some home buyers are uncomfortable with pets during showings.
Clean all rubbish out of fireplaces, particularly the ones you haven't lit in the last few years.
Put two coats of off-white paint over the chartreuse, tangerine, purple or dark colored walls. Also, if walls are dirty, one coat of white paint will work wonders.
Remove every bit of grease from the inside of the oven and burner trays.
Fix the front doorbell, storm door and front entry. First impressions are lasting.
Shampoo carpeting.
Put new washers in all dripping faucets.
Throw away the torn shower curtain, and put up a new one.
Remove unwanted items from the attic, basement, closets, and tool shed. Have a garage sale and trash the remaining.
Organize closets throughout the home.
Turn off the blaring stereo and TV during showings.
Water all dying plants or get rid of them.
Adjust all doors, including closets and windows so they can be opened and closed easily.
Dust, clean, and scrub everything that means everything from the basement to the attic.
Replace broken tiles on walls or floors. Re-paste loose or dangling wallpaper.
Make beds and keep all dirty clothes out of sight.
Keep kitchen countertop and sink clean and clear.
Secure all banisters and handrails.
Remove all posters and adhesive from wall and doors.
Paint the basement floor and walls. If basement shows any signs of any water or structural problems, a structural engineer's report is suggested.
Replace worn out wall-to wall carpeting with neutral colors.
Remove excess extension cords and exposed wires to lamps and fixtures.
Replace all broken screens, cracked window panes, faulty light fixtures, loose basement stair steps and anything else not in good working condition.
Neatly organize and store the kids’ toys.
Silicone spray any squeaky door hinges.
If selling in winter months, have pictures of your summer backyard in bloom readily visible on the kitchen counter.
Hammer drive any exposed nails in decks and porches.
During showings, keep pets in portable kennels of the back yard.
Keep the lawn freshly mowed looking its best.
Store away any fragile keepsakes within the reach of small children.
Ask your Realtor for a professional opinion of items unique to your Home.