As a seller, it is your job to present your house at its absolute best to your potential buyers. When the day of your showing arrives be sure to:
- Remove all personal items from the house. This will help those looking at the house visualize how their own items would look in their place (i.e. photos, trophies, decorations, toiletries.)
- Vacuum rugs, sweep floors, wash windows, clean kitchen/bathrooms, ect.
- An inexpensive, easy way to spruce up a room is to repaint it. A fresh coat of paint gives the room a new fresh look.
- Declutter and tidy up! Remember that the less clutter a room has the larger it seems.
- Mow the lawn and keep the landscaping looking nice. The presentation of your house depends on this. It is the first thing people will see when they arrive. First impressions stick!
- Remember to open the drapes. Natural light gives a more welcoming feel to you house.
- Locate your abstract and survey. It will save you money if you can locate your old one to have updated, rather than purchasing a new one.
- If you own a pet find somewhere else for it to stay during the showing. Remove litter boxes, food dishes, animal toys, and pet waste from the yard.
- Spray rooms with a subtle air freshener such as vanilla or lavender. This is especially important for smokers and pet owners.
- Find out the age of your roof, hot water tank, and furnace.
- Make a list of major improvements over the last five years.
- Know how much you owe on your mortgage. Even if you owe more than the house is worth there are still options such as a short sale, which we can explain further when necessary.
- Lastly you can stage your home. This consists of details such as setting the table as you would for dinner, leaving clean towels neatly in the bathroom, and laying magazines on the coffee table in an organized fashion. Remember when doing this, the idea is to add striking accents to each room. This is by no means a requirement to selling your house, but will give it an inviting, family-friendly feel.
Below is a downloadable file to the printer-friendly version of this checklist.
| sellers_checklist.docx |
