Preparing to Sell Your Home - Part 2
Posted by Sheree McCool-Fanestiel
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Continuing to prepare your home to sell, it is time to enter the home.
Curb appeal was covered in Part 1.
Part 2 is cleaning the home.
Part 3 will address repairs.
Part 4 discusses staging your home (yes, you can still live in it!) to appeal to all buyers.
Part 2
When the front door is opened, what does the potential buyer see and smell when stepping in? The smell of a home sets the tone for a buyer. If it smells clean, the buyer will stay longer and give the home more consideration.
A thorough cleaning of the home from top to bottom will help the seller keep it cleaner during the time it is on the market.
Walk through the house and open drawers, look in closets, give the restrooms a good lookover.
Buy storage bins, rent a storage space, or hold a garage sale to help wrangle all the extra items that are in the home giving it a cluttered feel.
Buyers want to envision how the home will look with their personal items in it. An overpacked closet gives the impression that the closet is too small. Remove the clothing that will not be worn before moving (ex: remove and store winter clothes in summer) to make the closet look larger.
The kitchen- That junk drawer might not be a problem, but two or more is. People will be opening kitchen and restroom drawers. Remove extra silverware, hot pan holders, dishes, and the mail from the kitchen. Clear the counter space as much as possible to present a larger work area.
Organize the pantry, clean out the fridge (one of the main odor causes) with a baking soda and water solution followed by placing activated charcoal in it to absorb odors, and give the stove/oven a good cleaning. Pour baking soda and vinegar down the kitchen drain, followed by boiling water to help eliminate odors.
Wash the cabinets and drawer fronts (use wood oil soap on wood), non abrasive cleaners on others, and scrub the floor.
Do not overlook the backsplash and the wall area by the stovetop. This, the vent hood, and all appliances should be cleaned on the outside, too.
Moving on to the restroom. Look at the bathtub. Is the grout clean and the caulking where the tub meets the wall clean and clear of mildew? Is there rust in the tub near the drain or hardware? CLR will remove the rust. Soak the shower head in it to remove hard water deposits. After cleaning, wash or replace the shower curtain to freshen the look.
Is the toilet anchored tightly to the floor? Does the wax ring need to be replaced? Thoroughly clean the bowl, including where the water comes into it. Don't forget to clean the porcelain down by the floor where it anchors in and the outside of the bowl.
Remove all prescription medications from the medicine cabinet. Clean the mirror. Scrub the toothpaste out of the sink and polish the faucet/handles to bring a shine to them.
Replace any missing bulbs or covers.
Scrub the floor. If money allows, replace the bath mat with a new one. If not, wash regularly until the home is sold.
Bedrooms- Make the bed daily while the home is being shown. Freshen drapes in the dryer with a damp cloth and dryer sheets or replace them with blinds.
Do not leave personal items out where anyone can see or take them.
Change the air conditioner filter on a regular basis, helping to ensure better airflow. If the panel on the return air vent has any dust or dirt on it, clean it every week. Look at the vents. Are they clean? If not, clean and if they need to be painted, remove and paint. Clean the ceiling around the vents to remove dust.
Living areas- look around the room. Does it look cluttered? Remove all non-essential items. Even the cleanest home can look cluttered in photos or in person.
Other cleaning tips- clean ceiling fan blades regularly and remove any bugs in the light fixtures.
Vacuum/mop all floors often.
Remove all photos from walls and off furniture that have people in them. A buyer wants to see themselves live there and seeing your family hinders that.
If walls are dusty or have nicotine on them, they need to be washed. Do not spot wash- that is worse than not washing them at all. Use a damp sponge mop, wrung out completely and a mild cleaner to wash the walls, especially taking care to clean around light switches.
If money allows, a fresh coat of neutral paint will brighten the home.
What are some of the things that you see INSIDE a home that are deal breakers? What has made a home appealing to you when you walk in?
Next time I will discuss repairs to the home. Hey, we will get that house on the market yet!
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the HRIS.
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