47 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Sell Faster
Suggestions and ideas to improve your home's appearance and help you prepare to sell it faster!
1. Open the draperies, pull up the shades and let in the sunlight
2. Create a positive mood. Turn on all lights, day or night and install higher wattage light bulbs to show your home brightly
3. Remove clutter from each room to visually enlarge them
4. If you have a fireplace, highlight it in your decorating
5. Keep your home dusted and vacuumed at all times
6. Replace the carpet if it does not clean up well
7. Have a family "game plan" to get the home in order quickly if necessary
8. Air out your home for one-half hour before showings, if possible
9. Lightly spray the house with unscented or lightly scented air freshener so that it has a chance to diffuse before the buyer arrives
10. Put family photos in storage
11. Improve traffic flow through every room by removing unnecessary furniture
12. Create the feeling of a spacious entry area by using decorative accents and removing unnecessary furniture
13. Putty over and paint any nail holes or other mishaps in the walls
14. Paint all interior walls a neutral color to brighten the home and make it look bigger
15. Repair or replace any loose or damaged wallpaper
16. Clean or replace all light bulbs and light fixtures to brighten the home
17. Wash all windows inside and out
18. Use plants in transitional areas of your house
19. Make the most of your attic's potential
20. Remove and/or hide excess extension cords and exposed wires
21. Open doors to areas you want potential buyers to see such as walk-in closets, pantries, attics, etc
22. Remove all smoke and pet odors
23. Repair or replace banisters and handrails
In the Kitchen:
24. Microwave a small dish of vanilla twenty minutes before a showing and place it in an out-of-the-way place
25. Highlight an eat-in area in your kitchen with a table set for dinner
26. The kitchen and bathrooms should always be spotlessly clean
27. Expand your counter space by removing small appliances
In the Bedrooms:
28. Create a master suite effect in your decorating
29. Depersonalize bedrooms and decorate in a neutral scheme
30. Make sure that the beds are made and the linens are clean
31. Organize your closets, remove unnecessary items and put them in storage
In the Bathrooms:
32. Do not leave towels around and wipe down the sinks and shower areas after each use
33. Re-caulk the tub if the caulk is not sparkling white
34. Repair or replace broken tiles in the shower/tub
35. Replace shower curtains and liners and keep them clean
36. Put out fresh or new towels and decorative soaps
Outside:
37. Keep the yard mowed, raked and weeded at all times
38. Use flowering plants to dress up the yard, walkway and patio
39. Remove all toys, bicycles, tools, unsightly patio furniture and trash from the yard
40. Porches, steps, verandas, balconies, patios and other extensions of the house should be kept uncluttered, swept and in good condition
41. Paint all entrance doors
42. Make sure the garage door opens easily. Fix and paint the garage door if necessary
43. Clean and shine all hardware and accessories indoors and out (door knobs, knockers, lamps, mail box, address numbers, etc)
44. Trees and shrubs should be trimmed and pruned
45. Use a new doormat
46. Be sure the front doorbell is in good working order
47. Be sure the front door and screen door work perfectly It's amazing how many little things can add up to more money in your pocket!