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Preparing Your Home for Sale
Positive
first impressions of a prospective home buyer mean so
much to the successful sale of your home that making
a small effort to ensure a good impression can pay off
with big returns. This checklist covers many of the
little things that set a good example, from the outside
... in.
Following these tips will help sell your home faster and
for more money.
Exterior
- Keep
lawns and hedges neatly trimmed, weed flowerbeds.
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Clean out your garage or carport to show off its
full size. Have a Garage Sale.
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Clean the outside windows, repair any broken panes.
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Oil all the gate hinges and latches; make any fence
repairs required.
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Remove dead limbs and branches from trees — especially
evergreens.
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Check all outside lights are working; house numbers
are clean and easy to read. Touch up exterior
paint as required, especially street-side.
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Keep walkways and exterior stairs clean of leaves,
snow, etc.
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Clean roof gutters to avoid "waterfalls" on rainy
days.
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Don't let anything obstruct the street view of your
"For Sale" sign.
Interior
- Wash
down or paint the entry walls to continue the good
first impression. Repair drawers and cupboard
doors that squeak, stick or don't close.
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Free up hard-to-open windows and doors — especially
closet doors.
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Repair leaky faucets or toilets that run continuously.
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Replace loose tiles, re-grout if needed, and scrub
away any mildew.
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You are going to move anyway, so start now to remove
all clutter from every room and get rid of or store
anything you can live without; pay particular attention
to the basement — you will be amazed at how much
larger the rooms all look!
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Give the kitchen a good top-to-bottom scrub, to
make the walls, cabinets, appliances, counters and
sinks shine.
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Make sure the closets are clear of everything except
clothes that are neatly hung or folded to best show
the size of the closets.
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Lighting is important! Use appropriate bulb wattage
to lighten dark areas.
Showings
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Open all drapes and curtains to let the maximum
natural light in — make sure the windows are all
clean.
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Avoid cooking a meal that might cause a lingering
odour; let lots of fresh air in.
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Put large pets outside and keep all pets away from
prospects; try to eliminate any pet odours.
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Ideally, leave the house while it is being shown.
If this is not possible, then settle the children
quietly in one room. Let the REALTOR® do the talking
— and walking; unless asked by the REALTOR® do not
join the tour of your home.
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Above all, do not discuss the price. Give brief,
polite answers to direct questions but let your
REALTOR® representative negotiate the sale.
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