Prepare your home for showing
Prepare your home for showing
The first five minutes are critical in selling your home! It’s been said that buyers make up their minds in fewer than 5 minutes and then spend the rest of their time rationalizing their decision. Their first impressions begin with the yard, the driveway and the front door. Here are a lot of things you can do to make your house ready for viewing. These can make a difference of literally thousands of dollars in the market value of the property.First Impressions: The Drive Up
- House exterior in good repair
- House number easy to see
- Eaves troughs, down spouts and soffits are painted and in good repair
- Garage/Carport clean and dry
- Cracked or broken window panes replaced
- Windows washed
- Lawns cut and raked, hedges and shrubs trimmed, gardens and walkways weeded and edged, walks swept, decks and patios cleared of leaves and debris
- “Snow and ice cleared, walkways sanded or salted
GARAGE
- Seasonal equipment properly organized
- Garage door clean/repainted
- Door operates smoothly
THE FRONT DOOR
- Door easy to unlock, hardware in good condition
- Doorbell works
- Porch and foyer clean and free of shoes/boots, etc.
INTERIOR MAINTENANCE
- Cracked plaster or drywall repaired
- Chipped paint touched up/walls washed, if needed
- Door knobs and cupboard latches tight
- Burned out light bulbs replaced
- Squeaky doors oiled Clean, dust and polish
- Organize closets and pack last season’s clothes
BASEMENT
- 60 -100 watt light bulbs in all light fixtures
- Floor clean/painted
- Furnace and hot water heater wiped down/cleaned
- Storage area neat and tidy – remove all junk
- Electrical panel cleared
- Cobwebs swept from floor joists
Windows and walls cleaned
VALUABLES
- Valuables locked away safely or taken with you
- Remove valuable from drawers
BATHROOMS
- Mirrors, fixtures and taps cleaned and polished
- Leaky taps and toilets repaired
- Seals around tubs and basins in good repair/recaulked, if necessary
- Floors cleaned, waste containers emptied
- Flush and close toilets
- Inside of cupboards and cabinets clean, neat and
de-cluttered (better yet packed away) - Towels clean and matching
KITCHEN
- Sinks and taps cleaned and polished, remove dirty
dishes - Appliances cleaned
- Countertops cleared as much as possible
- Stove fan cleaned and replace filter
- Inside and outside cupboards and cabinets clean and neat
- Pack pots, pans and Tupperware you’re not using
to clear clutter - Small appliances put away
BEDROOMS
- Cleaned, painted, if needed
- Closets organized, clean, items packed away
- Beds made
- Valuables locked away safely or taken with you
Help Sell Your Home
- Turn on all lights
- Open drapes in the daytime, close them at night
- Turn on air conditioner in warm weather
- Lite fireplace in cooler weather
- Clear hall and stairs of all clutter
- Play background music quietly (soft rock)
- Carpets freshly vacuumed and hardwood polished
- Avoid cooking/smoking odors — heat frozen pastry
slowly in the oven or heat a pan with a few drops of
vanilla on the stove - Children, pets and adults can keep buyers from
feeling at ease while they look through a home. For
showings, being out of the house is preferred. - Store unneeded items off site
- Empty and clean all garbage containers
- Fresh cut flowers