Preparing Your Home For Sale

Clean everything!
Pay particular attention to kitchens and baths. Don’t forget light fixtures and ceiling fans.

Clear out ALL clutter
Rooms and closets will show better and feel larger. Organize the basement and attic. Pack up, donate or sell anything not being used.

Light
Better lighting will allow the rooms to appear brighter, larger, & warmer. Use 100 watt bulbs and leave all lights turned on. Open all curtains, shades or blinds when showing a house.

Touch up paint
To cover the smell of fresh paint, which may be offensive to some people, use water based latex paint and mix in 3 drops of REAL vanilla extract with each gallon. With most paint brands, this will neutralize 90% of the paint smell. Check with the paint manufacture for best results.

Another Scenting Secret
Do not use a lot of air fresheners or perfumes. Instead simply place one drop of vanilla extract on a hot light bulb before your agent shows the house.

Curb appeal
Make sure that the exterior is in good shape. This includes, paint, siding, windows, shutters, fixtures, and most important the front landscaping. Wash windows, give the front door a fresh coat of paint, blow leaves from sidewalks

Ceilings
Clean the ceilings, fix any cracks or imperfections, and repaint if necessary. If a buyer sees a water stain, it will be assumed that there is a problem with the roof, even if it has been repaired.

Last Run Through
Each time someone is going to look at your home make a quick run through your home and think about anything that you might have neglected, just use common sense.

Go Away
Many realtors and potential buyers would prefer that the seller not be present during a showing, to avoid limiting the buyers’ conversation or making them uncomfortable. Children and pets should also be absent or out of the buyers’ way during a showing, if at all possible.