Make Sure You Get Them Back For Another Look

Home Prep Basics

• Clean all your windows and appliance - over, refrigerator, and even skylights. Do not forget to make bathrooms shine!
• Take steps to eliminate any odors - smoke, pet, and mildew are all huge turnoffs and keep people from staying very long at your house.
• Get rid of clutter! Put away any countertop kitchen appliances and other items that are sitting on countertops and tables.
  
• Remove photographs and other small items from table tops.
• Clean out and organize your closets and cabinets - people WILL open your closets and cabinets, so be prepared!
• Pack away even more of your family photos - even off the wall (but be careful to patch any holes or marks made by the hanger). You want the buyer to imagine their family and items in the home.
• Your special collections might be very unique, but put it away! You don't want the buyers to spend their time looking at your collection and not the house.
• Remove excess furniture to make rooms less cluttered. Try removing a table here or a chair there - you will be surprised at how much more spacious your rooms look.
• If you've boxed things up, store the boxes neatly and out of the way. If you have too much, consider renting a temporary storage space.
• Consider adding live, easy-to-care-for plants around the house.
• Don't forget to check your overhead fans! They can accumulate dirt, so wipe down the blades.
• Some people like to bake a loaf of bread or some cookies so there is a nice, comforting smell when people enter. This is easier to do for a scheduled open house than for showings, however. Be careful not to overdo it with spraying air freshener - people will think you're trying to cover something up!
  

• Clean the drain gutters. Buyers don't want to see plants growing out of your gutters or leaves hanging over the edge.
• Pick up and store items in the yard so it doesn't look messy.
• Make your front entry welcoming. You may need new hardward for your door, a fresh coat of paint, or possibly even a new door altogether.
• Is your outside lighting adequate? You may have some evening showings and you also want your house to be seen by buyers driving by at night.
• Your house and drive may need to be pressure washed - you can rent a pressure washer at many hardware stores.
• Keep your front porch, steps, and entry swept.
  

If Your Home Is Vacant

A vacant homes can hold in odors and often home buyers are greeted with stale air when they open the front door. If it's too overpowering, they won't stick around.You'll want to leave the heat or air conditioning on - on a lower setting - so buyers don't have to walk into a freezer during the winter or a furnace during the summer. This will also help reduce odors and make the house more appealing.

Keep the lawn and landscaping maintained - if it's too much for you to do on your own, or impossible if you've moved out of town, hire someone to do it.  A house with grass that has grown too long with weeds everywhere looks neglected and unappealing.

Think about any special touches you can add. You can buy inexpensive window treatments and area rugs that give your home a nice feel.

You want to make your home as appealing as possible from the street - curb appeal! - and make buyers want to come in and see the rest. The more things that are right with your house, the easier it is to get buyers past the little things they think are wrong with the house. All of the preparations above come together to help your home make a great first impresssion.