Cleaning the House for Sale
If you are selling and showing your home yourself you may receive a call (or knock on the door) at any time from interested buyers requesting to take a look.
You do not need to create a show home – your buyers know it is being lived in – but they do not need to see the laundry in a pile or wade through cluttered rooms. Try to maintain the home by keeping dishes washed and beds made as well as a clean bathroom and tidy living area.
If they show up at a really bad time suggest they make an appointment. You can state this on the sign if necessary.
You may realize that when you move you will need to get rid of a lot of accumulated stuff. Now is the time. Old clothing, broken items you will not likely repair, excess furniture – have a garage sale or take them to secondhand shop. Not only will this improve the look of your home but it will make moving easier.
Consider lightening the load of your closets so they will look more spacious. Store excess or out of season clothing in boxes in another area of the home. Add a few empty hangers for the visual effect of having lots of room and try to add a light (even a battery operated one) to the inside of the closet.
If you have a yard you will have to clear it of debris, keep it mowed and do upkeep to the garden. Check the outside of your house for needed repairs such as missing shingles and loose boards or stones in traffic areas such as the patio, balcony or stairs. Consider some minor additions of shrubs or plants to improve the ‘curb appeal’.
Replace or repair torn screens and dim or burnt out bulbs. Make sure that your house number is visible even on a dark evening or buyers won’t be able to take note of the address or find your house for an appointment in the evening.
Do all you can to keep your home and yard looking well cared for. You and your family are no doubt very busy, but the extra attention is very important. First impressions count.
Cleaning Up
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