1. The front of your home is the first and maybe the last thing a potential buyer will see. Make sure that it looks the best it can. Stand at the street and look at your home. Ask yourself:
“Is it in good repair?”
“Does it look clean and inviting?”
"Would I buy this home?"
2. Pick up dead leaves, fallen limbs, and other debris from your lawn.
3. Weed and cultivate the flower beds.
4. Trim trees and hedges. Prune evergreen and shrubs.
5. Put down fresh mulch around trees, shrubs and hedges.
6. Edge between your lawn, drive and walkway.
7. Mow your lawn, remember not too short. For more lushness, be sure to water, mow and fertilize regularly. Remove dandelions and other weeds that are visible. A good rule of thumb for mowing is to never cut off more than 2 inches at a time or more than one-third of the blade of grass at one time. i.e.: If the recommended height is 2 inches, mow when your grass is three inches tall. Also, change the pattern of your cutting if you mow horizontally this time next time mow vertically across the lawn.
8. Repair fences and gates, and give them a fresh coat of paint if they need it. If chain link fence and it is rusted and discolored, don’t despair you can get a can of flat silver metal spray paint and touch up the fence wherever it is discolored and it will look new again.
9. Make a place to put away lawn equipment and gardening tools and be sure to put them away each time you use them.
10. Pick up tools and toys from the yard. Store garbage cans out of sight. Make sure the driveway and garage are swept, and try to remove any stains. Kitty litter is great for oil stains, then scrub with dishwashing liquid. Dawn is an excellent oil remover.
11. Repair cracks and pull weeds from walkways and the driveway. Home stores like Lowes and Home Depot sell patch for both asphalt and concrete and many have classes on how to use it.
12. Depending on the season hose down the house, walkway, and the driveway at least once a week. If you have a problem with green stains on the siding mix up a solution of ¼ cup of bleach and 2 gallons of water and using a broom work the solution onto the siding and scrub. And let it set then rinse it off. This should take care of it. If you have rust (red looking stains running down the siding then you will need to get some ZUD which works on rust stains and it also works well on the scum In the shower.)
BE SURE TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY AND DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES MIX AMONIA WITH THE BLEACH WATER!
13. Make sure the exterior paint and siding is in good condition, and that the roof is in good repair.
14. Clean gutters and downspouts. Straighten and paint if necessary.
15. If you have a deck, patio, porch or other outdoor entertainment area such as a pool or hot tub, make the most of them. Keep these areas, as well as your backyard, clean and clutter free. Be sure all debris is in covered trashcans. Make these areas look inviting. Add cushions to chairs and set the stage just like you do in the house.
16. Paint your mailbox and lamppost if they need it. Even the light fixtures on the porch can be made to look like new with a little elbow grease or spray paint. If they were brass and they are all tarnished you can either clean them by taking them down and using a good brass cleaner like Brasso™ or you can paint them with spray paint. (Krylon™ spray paint goes on real well and dries quickly. Also, Rustoleum is a good spray paint)
17. Dress up the front entrance. A coat of paint on the door. A spruce up example would be if it is a traditional house, brass accents such as house numbers, a door knob, and/or a kick plate: Keep in the tone of the style house you have.
18. Check the doorbell and make sure it works. If it doesn’t work then fix it or replace it. Usually it doesn’t work because the button has worn out due to use and weather. It is very easy and inexpensive to replace.
Make sure you cut the electric power off.
You can purchase new door bell buttons at your favorite home store like Lowes or Home Depot.
19. Buy a new doormat.
20. For that something extra to the front of your house, flowers are an inexpensive way to add an accent of color to your houses exterior entrance. Put potted flowering plants (annuals) by the front door. Give the shutters a fresh coat of paint. If the front of the house paint is dingy and power washing doesn’t help it is effective to paint just the front of the house.
21. Take a picture it lasts longer. If your home is surrounded by flowering or fruit-bearing trees, low-maintenance landscapes, and herbal or flower gardens, be sure to take pictures when everything is in full bloom. Photographs allow the potential buyer to see first hand what your home’s landscaping look like. You can even go through pictures you may have already and pull some that show the house’s landscaping at different seasons. Great material to put in flyers and on you blog.
22. If necessary exterminate outside and inside. A bug, dead or alive, can make a bad impression on a Potential Buyer. Call a professional to rid your home of insects. Allow time for the smell of pesticide to disappear before showing your home. The perfect time to exterminate is right after you have de-cluttered and before you put anything in storage or do your spring cleaning. That way no pests hitch a ride into you stored items and then on to your new home and during spring cleaning you can clean up any dead bug bodies.
23. Turn on all outdoor lights when the house is being shown. If necessary install outdoor lighting that properly illuminates your entrance, walkways, and drive.
24. Ask a friend or relative to care for you pets or take them with you when your house is being shown. Park your camper, boat, or extra car at another location.
25. Organize the Kitchen. Clear off the counters. Add drawer organizers to suggest efficient use of space. Minimize appliances, extra serving pieces, Tupperware and large baking pans by either storing them in the attic or putting them in storage. Keep in the kitchen only items you absolutely need during the time the house is on the Market.
26. Update the bathrooms. If cleaning and painting can’t make dingy bath dynamite, consider replacing the vanity and sink; installing a new floor covering; resurfacing a stained bathtub. Consider a sink /tub refinisher. They come to your home and put on coat of epoxy any color you choose and it makes the sink and tub look new again. It is a cost effective way to get the look of a new sink and tub without the expense of replacement. A new shower curtain, window curtains and toilet seat can work wonders.
27. Refresh the rooms of your house with Paint. Light, neutral colors such as beige, white, or off-white have a broader appeal and can make small rooms appear larger and airier. If you have dated wallpaper, consider removing it and paint the walls. It is not that hard to remove even though Potential Buyers think it is. They have a tool that pokes little holes in it and then you sponge on a remover solution you let it sit a while and it comes right off the wall. When repainting make sure you caulk and fill nail holes before painting. Ready made spackle is very easy to use and is available at the home stores. All you need is a small putty knife. Also use premium quality paint so you only have to do one coat.
28. Water stains on the ceiling. Make sure the leak in the roof is fixed and then paint the area with KILZ (this is a paint that will cover anything and the stain won’t bleed through). When that is dry just paint over it with regular wall paint. It is not wise to paint to hide a problem, always fix the problem and then paint.
29. Reduce clutter. Sort through closets, drawers, and storage areas. Toss what you can, organize the rest. If you have too much furniture in you house put some pieces in storage to make a better first impression.
30. Arrange furniture to make each room appear larger. Less is the motivation here. Consider the model home’s sparse look. Do not think about day to day living, your rooms should be like those in a furniture showroom. Less is Best here.
31. Make minor repairs. Tighten loose knobs, fix leaky faucets and discolored sinks, lubricate squeaky hinges (Vaseline works great) clean out slow drains, replace a/c filters, filter on stove, those chrome rings around the burners on the stove top, tighten loose banisters, repair doors, door knobs, use kilz and repaint over stains on wall if they won’t come clean. Remove stains on wood work and carpet.
32. Make sure all lighting fixtures work. Replace key lights with highest wattage allowed for each fixture to make rooms seem brighter. Turn on a light or two in each room for a showing. You don’t have to have all the lights on just key lights even in the daytime.
33. Carpeting has a major impact on the look of your house. If yours is badly worn, outdated or stained, consider replacing it. Carpeting can be very expensive or reasonable. Instead of the Potential Buyer asking for an enormous carpet allowance in the contract go ahead now and purchase builder’s grade and have it installed. In the long run you will save money and it will create for the Potential Buyer the feeling of newness. If the budget is a concern concentrate on the high traffic areas.
34. Hardwood floors add beauty and value to a house and need special attention. If your house is older, check under wall to wall carpeting, you may have hardwood floors. Be sure hardwood floors are cleaned and waxed to create a classic fresh look.
35. Buy cut fresh flowers for a dramatic arrangement for any room. Not only is it visually appealing to the Potential Buyer but it evokes a lifestyle image they probably want to achieve.
36. Sparkling windows are a signal to a Potential buyer that you care about your house. Clean your interior and exterior windows. Repair cracked panes, torn screens, broken sashes, and ropes or cords. Whenever your home is being shown, open your curtains to let the natural light in---Especially if the view is nice. Of course if the view is not so inviting, leave the curtains closed.
37. Clean. Not only should your house be spotless, it must smell clean. Apply elbow grease and strong cleansers to surfaces inside and outside your home. Clean the window sills. Consider painting if cleaning doesn’t do the job.
38. Clean all curtains and draperies; shampoo rugs and clean and wax floors.
39. Appeal to the senses. Create an aroma during the open house. Burn candles or potpourri, boil a pot of cinnamon sticks or put a dab of vanilla on cold light bulbs before turning the lights on. If you have pets or if someone in your home smokes, these odors can linger and lessen your houses appeal. You might not notice these smells if you live with them every day, but someone coming into the house will pick up on them immediately. If anyone smokes in the house ask that the do it outside especially during the time house in on the market. AN UNCHANGED CAT LITTER BOX OR AN ASHTRY FILLED WITH CIGARETTE BUTTS CAN MEAN YOUR HOUSE WILL GET NO FURTHER ATTENTION FROM A POTENTIAL BUYER.
40. Repair a wet basement. The problem can be as easy to fix as installing covers over window wells or putting in a dehumidifier. If the moisture problem calls for more extensive repairs and you are not able to make them, be prepared to explain the problem to the buyer. The cost for the repair can be placed in escrow and paid for at closing. Don’t try to cover up the signs of a wet basement.
