Getting Ready
5 Things to Do Before You Sell
1. Get estimates from a reliable repairperson on items that need
to be replaced soon, such as a roof or worn carpeting, for example.
In this way, buyers will have a better sense of how much these
needed repairs will affect their costs.
2. Have a termite inspection to prove to buyers that the property
is not infested.
3. Get a pre-sale home inspection so you’ll be able to
make repairs before buyers become concerned and cancel a contract.
4. Gather together warranties and guarantees on the furnace,
appliances, and other items that will remain with the house.
5. Fill out a disclosure form provided by your sales associate.
Take the time to be sure that you don’t forget problems,
however minor, that might create liability for you after the sale.
10 Ways to Make Your House More Salable
1. Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers
and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items.
Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean
out the garage.
2. Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.
3. Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light
switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator.
A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers
that the home has been well cared for.
4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate
cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.
5. Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem
brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any
burnt-out bulbs.
6. Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small
problems, such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking,
or a dripping faucet, may seem trivial, but they’ll give
buyers the impression that the house isn’t well maintained.
7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes,
and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the
entryway.
8. Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
9. Clean your gutters.
10. Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.
20 Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home
Make your home more appealing for potential buyers with these
quick and easy tips.
1. Trim bushes so they don’t block windows and cut down
on light.
2. Buy a new doormat.
3. Put a pot of bright flowers (or a small evergreen in winter)
on your porch.
4. Put new doorknobs on your doors.
5. Put a fresh coating on your driveway.
6. Edge the grass around walks and trees.
7. Keep your garden tools out of site.
8. Be sure kids put away their toys.
9. Buy a new mailbox.
10. Upgrade the outside lighting.
11. Use warm, incandescent light bulbs for a homey feel.
12. Polish or replace your house numbers.
13. Clean your gutters.
14. Put out potpourri or burn scented candles.
15. Buy new pillows for the sofa.
16. Buy a flowering plant and put it in a window you pass by frequently.
17. Make a centerpiece for your table with fruit or artificial
flowers.
18. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light.
19. Buy new towels.
20. Put a seasonal wreath on your door.
