1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Dont forget to clean out the garage, too.
2. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers.
3. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help. Make a batch of cookies or cinnamon rolls.
4. Lighten up. Open curtains and blinds. Leave light fixtures on to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.
5. Dont disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but theyll give buyers the impression that the house isnt well-maintained.
6. Tidy your yard. Shovel sidewalks. For added curb appeal, place bright decor near the entryway.
7. Picture your yard in summer or spring. Let your prospective buyers see your hard work. Place non-intimate photos where visible.
8. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.
9. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.
10. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.
11. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.
12. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if its not in use.
13. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.
14. Lock it up! (Valuables, jewelry, prescriptions and money.) While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, its impossible to watch everyone all the time.
15. Make you and your pets disappear. Its usually best if the sellers are not at home. Its awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If thats not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where theyll be to eliminate surprises.
See Real Estate
216 N. Main
Monroe City, MO 63456
800.748.7586
573.735.2245
Fax: 573.735.2276
Email: inquiries_seerealestate.com
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