57 things to prepare your home to Sell!

I realize this is a long list, but if you really want to sell your home, please read this and think
about what you'd like to see if you were buying a home!

1. I will keep my front lawn neat and tidy, watering the lawn, keeping it trimmed, with no weeds and no brown grass.  I realize that the first impression is the most important.  I will keep bushes/hedges trimmed as needed.

Most houses sell (or don’t sell) before the buyer even walks inside the house.  It’s a strange phenomenon called “curb appeal.”  If your home has fantastic “curb appeal” you could get 20% more for your home.  What’s fantastic curb appeal?  A picket fence, beautiful flowers, flowering trees, or lush landscaping.  Water in any form … a stream, lake, river, pool – even fountains.  That’s why they do waterscaping.

2. I will plant some extra flowers for color and/or put some pots with flowers beside the front door and in front of the house.  From experience, flowers and colors are winners.  The more, the better.  It pays to put some nice, very colorful landscaping in front of the house.

3. I will spruce up my landscaping with some fresh plantings.  If there are mature shrubs in the back, I will consider moving them up front.  I understand that the house is sold or not sold long before the buyer enters the house.  Curb appeal is very important.  People definitely buy curb appeal.  Many times homes are sold before the buyer even walked through the door.  Again, refer to the new homebuilders – superior landscaping, professionally done.

4. I will remove all dead limbs from trees and debris from the lawn.  I will keep the sidewalk and driveway nice and clean (swept).  I will patch any holes and clean up any spots on the driveway.  The front of the house must look neat and clean.

5. I will check the block wall/fence and repair any broken areas.  I will paint or stain spots in poor condition.

6. I will put all lawn equipment away after use and arrange lawn furniture neatly.  I will stack firewood neatly.  I realize that the cleanest houses sell the fastest.

7. I will look at my front door.  I realize that the buyer will get his first impression as he enters my home.  The door will be one of the first things the buyer will examine.  If my door is faded or shows signs of needing repair, I will clean it, repair it, stain it, or paint it.  (If the door is dirty, the buyer make say, “I don’t want this house!”)  I will do the same with the garage door. 

The area a round the doorbell usually gets hit before people even push the button.  And that area usually gets dirty.  It’s also the very first thing the buyer sees.  Either scrub that area or get a few cents worth of paint and clean it up.  And make sure the doorbell is working!  The biggest bummer is when the buyer rings the bell and nothing happens.  That could be an automatic $10,000 deduction from the sales price.
These little details can make the difference between getting a so-so price and making a killing on the house.  Everything counts!  All jokes aside, this is serious stuff!!

8. I realize that repainting the exterior of the house may be costly and really unnecessary unless there is blistering, peeling, or missing stucco.  I will consider painting if it is positively necessary.

9. I will replace faded numbers on the house with bright ones or repaint the numbers with a bright and cheerful color.  Bright house numbers is a real “biggie.”  Some people are in the business of painting house numbers – even on curbs.

10. If necessary, I will replace or repaint the mailbox and/or newspaper box.

11. I will clean debris from the roof and clean leaves from the gutters, if any.  I will realign gutters if crooked.

12. I will check the roof for shingles, tiles or flashing that needs replacing and I will do it if it is really necessary.

13. I will fix all broken windows, all broken or torn screens and I will wash them for a bright and sparkling appearance.

14. I will make sure the entry light works and has a 100-watt light bulb.  I will also make sure the doorbell is in good working order.

15. I will clean out the garage.  I will get rid of all clutter.  I understand the goal is to make everything look more spacious, organized, brighter, warm, and homey.

16. I will do my Spring Cleaning as soon as possible, no matter what time of year it is.

17. The cheapest way to make rooms look larger and brighter is to put 100-watt bulbs in every lamp and light fixture in the house.  I know that buyers will react positively to this.  It pays to put 100-watt bulbs everywhere.  The brighter the light, the larger the rooms appear.  It’s an optical illusion.

Having no furniture – or very little furniture – is bad.  Too much furniture is just as bad.  The 100-watt light bulbs will help make the room appear larger if the room is overcrowded with furniture.

18. I know that painting inside and patching holes doesn’t cost very much.  I know that fresh paint will make rooms look larger, brighter, and lighter.  I understand that clean, freshly painted houses sell much faster than other houses.

19. If there is wallpaper on the walls of my home, I have to decide if it’s in good shape.  If it needs only soap and water, I will clean it.  If it has holes or rips or faded spots, I will consider taking the paper down and painting the room white.  I know that putting up new wallpaper is not necessary.

Earlier I mentioned the colors are the trend for walls.  It depends on what type of house you have, how it is furnished, the sizes of the rooms, and the decor.  Yes, people are still looking for white rooms.  And, yes, some people are looking for sharp colors.  If in doubt, paint it white.  If you have an upscale home and contemporary furnishings, go for the color.  It pays to hire an interior decorator just to get basic design advice.  Many will give you a few pointers and suggestions for just $50 – $100.  Of course, if they want to redesign your entire home for $20,000 – that’s another story.

20. Too much clutter or too much furniture can and will make the house “feel wrong.”  I will move out or store excess furniture so rooms look larger.  If I don’t have enough furniture and have empty rooms, I will borrow, rent, or buy a few pieces to fill up the rooms.

21. I will clean out all closets and I will keep them that way until I sell the house.  I will store out of season clothes and get rid of clutter in the closets.

22. I will have a huge garage sale to get rid of unwanted items.  This will also ease my move, cost me less to move, and it will pay for some expenses outlined here.

23. I will clean all windows and mirrors so they sparkle.  And I will keep them clean.

24. I will rearrange furniture if that will make the rooms show better.  I will make each room look spacious.

25. If the carpeting looks dirty, I will have the carpet cleaned.  I am fully aware that, if the carpet is faded, torn, or looks worn out, I have a problem.  I understand that I am not going to get full price for the house, and if I replace the carpet, it is highly unlikely that I will recover the full cost.  In the final analysis it is better to replace all the carpet and expect to get the maximum price for the house than discount the selling price because of the carpet.

26. I will wash/dry clean all of the draperies and curtains even if they do not remain with the house.

27. I will paint and/or stain all woodwork inside and outside the house.

28. I will keep the kitchen counters as free of clutter as possible.  I will make them look as expansive as possible by keeping dish draining racks and some small appliances off the counter and in a cabinet.

Kitchens and master bedrooms are very important rooms for every buyer.  Pay particular attention to your kitchen.  The buyer’s decision depends on the kitchen’s feel, look, and cleanliness.  The kitchen is so important because many people spend half of their lives in the kitchen.   While you are selling your home, don’t cook certain foods when you are expecting prospective buyers.  These foods include cabbage dishes and fish – any food with a strong odor. 

29. I will clean the outside of the kitchen cabinets and I will keep them clean and organized inside.  If they need stain or paint, I’ll do it.

30. I will clean the inside of the oven.  All appliances will be clean and sparkling bright.  I will wash grease splatters around the stove.  I will polish all chrome parts of the sink and appliances until they shine.

31. I will try very hard to put some fresh flowers or plants on the kitchen counter, a small vase with flowers in the living room and/or bedroom.  I want to make the buyer feel like he’s home.

32. I will keep all bathrooms spotless.  Tubs, sinks, and toilets will be clean and polished.  I realize that bathrooms are very important to the buyer.

Some buyers have the biggest problem buying a house because of toilets.  Their biggest hang up is that somebody else used that toilet.  Even if the buyer decides to buy a brand new home, all the workers – carpenters, plumbers, painters, etc. – use the bathroom!  But, from the buyer’s point of view, it’s a brand new home with brand new, unused toilets.  That’s how it works.  Emotions can be very powerful.

33. I will clean all the tiles and re-grout if necessary.  I will caulk the bathtubs if needed.  The chrome fixtures will be polished.  Shower doors will be sparkling.

34. If the shower curtain looks worn, I will buy a new one.  It will not be a loss for me because I can take it with me when I move.

35. I will have fresh towels out, neatly arranged.  I will put out a fresh bar of soap when the house is shown.

36. I will clean the furnace, the fireplace, and the fireplace equipment.  PLEASE buy new air conditioner filters.  Don’t let the buyer see dirty filters.  If the buyer sees dirty filters, he will assume the air conditioning is not working properly.  The less doubts there are in the buyer’s mind, the easier it is to sell the house.

37. I will get my toolbox out and fix all the little things I haven’t done like squeaky doors and loose screws.  I realize the buyer will catch these immediately even though I am used to it and it no longer bothers me.

It may sound odd, but a squeaky door you didn’t pay attention to for 5 years can annoy the buyer in a second.

38. I will tighten loose doorknobs, drawer pulls, cabinet handles, towel racks, switch plates, and outlet covers.  Only I know what I have neglected over the years.

39. I will tack down any loose molding, glue down any lifted wallpaper, and replace any cracked switch plates.

40. I will fix sticking doors, windows, and wobbly banisters.

41. I will spend a few cents for washers and fix all leaky faucets and stop all drips.  I will also remove all water stains.

42. If we are in “bug season,” I will start spraying against bugs.  I know the buyer is not going to be excited to see live or dead bugs.  I must check for bugs and get rid of them every day.  I will do some heavy spraying around the outside of the house to stop the bugs from getting in.  If necessary, I will hire a professional service to do this.

43. Before prospective buyers walk into my home, I will give the house an aroma of fresh baked rolls or bread, or I will boil one or two cinnamon sticks.  I will be aware of cooking odors that linger in the house and are unpleasant such as cabbage, sauerkraut, broccoli, fish, burnt food, etc.

44. Regarding children and pets:  Children’s rooms should be neat, their toys neatly stored.  Pet dishes and food should be invisible.  Very often buyers react negatively to pets in the house because not all people take good care of their pets; and not all pets take good care of their owners.

Be careful here.  Pets can be a huge turnaround.  They can help a sale or they can hurt a sale.  People who have dogs are usually not happy about seeing cats in a home.  People who have cats aren’t crazy about dogs.  For people with no pets, any pet could be a problem.  Be sure to keep angry, jumping dogs away from the buyers.  Some people are afraid of big dogs.  Other people are allergic to pets.  This is not to say that you have to get rid of your pet – they are part of the family.  Just be aware they could be a problem and work around them the best way you can.

45. I will turn off the TV, stereo, or radio when prospective buyers walk in.  I understand it can be distracting.

46. When buyers come to the front of the house, I will put lights on throughout the house – even if there is plenty of daylight.  Even during the day I will put the entrance light on.

47. I will use fresh, clean tablecloths and possibly put some flowers in a vase.  I realize that if I plant some roses or other flowers in front of the house, I can use the same flowers to decorate the inside of the house.  This is a good selling feature if the buyer knows he can have fresh flowers every day from his own garden.

48. I will be very careful regarding money, jewelry, credit cards, or any other valuables.  I will put these away in a secure place.  There is no need to have valuables lying around when I have people coming into the house.  However, I will make myself scarce so the buyers don’t feel like intruders and try to hurry them away.  My absence will put the buyers at ease and give them a better chance to look at the house.  I know that sometimes a private conference between husband and wife can be very, very important.

49. I’ll let the agent talk.  He/She knows the buyer’s needs and most of the time has the professional skills necessary to show buyers how the home meets their needs.  If I followed everything suggested here, I will hear buyers complimenting the house.  And guess what – you will be selling the house to each other.

50. I will be polite, regardless what comments I hear from buyers.  I won’t get into lengthy conversations with buyers because they have to keep their focus on one thing only … BUYING THE HOUSE.  I realize talking about sports or politics will take the buyers concentration in the wrong direction.

51. If I mess up and the house is not in perfect shape, I will not apologize for it.  I know there is no need to call attention to something the buyers could overlook.

52. I will try to cooperate if the buyer likes the house but wants some items such as drapes, appliances, rugs, or furniture that were not part of the sale.  Let’s think about this.  Would you let the sale of a $200,000 house go down the drain for a $200 microwave oven or a $250 refrigerator?  Some people will kill the sale for less.  I will not get excited, no matter what the buyer wants.  There is always negotiation – after the buyer made the decision to buy the house.

53. I understand that if buyers just drop in to see the house and they say they have an agent, it’s best not to show the house.  There are many good reasons for this.  If buyers are working with an agent, the agent knows the customer they are bringing to the house.  The agent has pre-screened the buyer or worked with the buyer previously.  Letting complete strangers walk in off the street is not in your best interest.  However, get their names, and phone numbers and give them one of my cards – not the cards of agents who may have previously showed your home.

54. I understand that by listing my home with a Realtor, the key safe – or lockbox – is very important.  I understand that by not allowing all marketing opportunities to work, I am actually keeping my house off the market many hours a day.

The lockbox or key safe (or whatever other name you know it as) can be a problem for many sellers that list with an agent.  I considered in this manual that you will sell your home yourself or you might seek an agent’s help, or you might want to list with the right agent.  Therefore, I try to cover all possibilities.

From experience, using a lockbox can be fantastic or it can be dreadful.  Many houses are sold just because the other agents can have key access available. 

55. I will keep my house in the best shape when I am not home.  I will have all beds made up, floors vacuumed, clutter picked up – everything spotless and clean.  Agents will not always call in advance or sometimes there isn’t enough time to get the house into 100% condition for showing.  I understand that when my house is on the market, it’s like living under a red alert.  I will do my best to keep the house neat and clean.

56. I realize that pets could be a problem.  A small cat is not bad as long as it’s not the main odor in the house.  I also realize that, if I have big dogs and even if they are outside there is no agent (if I have one) or buyer who will walk outside to try to get friendly with the dogs.  And if the buyer cannot get into the backyard and examine it, see the roof from the back, and see the air conditioner, my chances of selling the house are nil.  I am aware that dogs dig holes in the lawn and their urine often kills the grass.  When they defecate, it should be picked up immediately so the buyers can walk in the yard.  I will have to decide the importance of this very tricky situation for all concerned.  I positively won’t allow the dogs to stay inside when no one is home because I understand that I could be liable to damages to buyers and/or agents.  I would be in jeopardy of lawsuits.

57. If I did everything listed above,, I deserve the highest possible price for my property.  Because I have done everything asked of me, and I am doing everything I am supposed to do, I stand the absolute best chance of getting the full selling price for my home.