| Outside
street view: First impressions count. If you have limited energy spend it here.
Make it look brand new. Fresh exterior paint especially the front door and entry. Pressure
wash sidewalks and driveways. Edge walks, fertilize the lawn and weed. Flowers go a long
way. Kitchen:
Sparkling clean of course. Commonly missed items are stains inside the dishwasher and
range exhaust hood. Increase appearance of roominess by storing all but necessary
countertop appliances.
Bathrooms: Lenders will require bathrooms be completely functional and no repairs
needed. Repairs should be completed before they play a role in time on the market and the
buyer’s offering price. Remove soap residue from tub surrounds and shower doors and
railings. Chlorine will often clean grout stains and naval jelly will remove those
annoying rust stains.
Pet Odor: Your home
should not reveal that pets live with you. If steam cleaning will not remove odor you may
need to re-carpet. |
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| What about as-is? Yes,
many homes are sold in varying degrees of as-is. The seller needs to disclose
all known flaws. Some buyers are
looking for this type of home. The price will reflect the time, money and hassle to
repair. The sharper the property the more buyers. Most lenders won't finance a
property with serious flaws.
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Back Yard: Apartment dwellers may be yearning for their own back yard. Help them
visualize their family enjoying your clean lawn furniture, clean sidewalks and patio. Trim
foliage, fertilize grass, edge, paint decks. Remove all debris.Miscellaneous Inside: Drapery
should be clean and rods need to be secure and operable. If you are replacing broken vinyl
flooring, for visual continuity one pattern should never abut a different pattern. |
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| Miscellaneous:
Your windows should be crack free and clean inside and out. Repair screens or remove them.
Hedges should be trimmed back from windows to bring maximum light to the inside of the
home. Those pesky patio covers need to be cleaned. Closets, garage and storage: Buyers are likely looking for
more room and storage is often high on that list. You can visually enlarge your closets
and garage and other storage areas by removing clutter, to a mini-warehouse if necessary. |
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| Mechanical: Your door bell must work properly. Your locks
need to work perfectly. Furnace and hot water tank areas should be as clean as your
kitchen. Repair plumbing leaks and restore to original condition. Roof: Lenders
typically require five years remaining roof life. Remove moss. Clean or replace gutters
and repair all rotted wood. If needed, replace roof before it’s age plays a role in
time on the market and the buyers offering price. |
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