Staging you home for selling
Exterior
¨ Keep your lawn cut and edged. Trim trees and shrubs, removing all dead limbs and debris.
¨ Prune or remove shrubs/trees blocking view from windows (unless the view is undesirable).
¨ Over-seed bare spots in the lawn.
¨ Clean up pet droppings.
¨ Add color to your yard and front porch with flowers and/or hanging plants.
¨ Arrange outdoor furniture and firewood neatly. Put away all lawn equipment, bikes and other toys.
¨ Repair any broken area of your fence, deck, patio, etc. Make sure these areas are clean and in good shape.
¨ Check the exterior of items like siding, window sashes, trim and shutters. Clean these areas and/or paint as needed. Give special attention to the front door area.
¨ Make sure your gutters are clean of debris. Wash or paint as needed. Re-align the gutters if they look crooked.
¨ Check the roof for shingles or flashing that needs replacing or repair.
¨ Replace broken windows, doors and screens. Make sure each looks clean and in good condition.
¨ Wash driveways and sidewalks. Patch holes and try to remove stains.
¨ Touch up the little things: house numbers, mail box, door bell, etc.
¨ Put 100-watt bulbs in the porch lights, carport, garage, etc.
¨ Clean around service areas/trash cans.
Staging you home for selling
Interior
¨ Buy high-intensity light bulbs and be sure to clean all light shades and covers, as it will make the rooms brighter and feel warmer.
¨ Do a spring cleaning throughout, no matter what the season is. Give special attention to the following: windows and screens, counter and appliance tops, mirrors, ovens, sinks, toilets and tub/shower areas.
¨ Clean carpets and replace or repair damaged areas of the floor or floor covering.
¨ Arrange furniture and decorations to improve each room. Remove unnecessary items that don't fit in so each room appears as spacious as possible.
¨ Consider brightening things up with a fresh coat of paint. Think white, off-white or beige as these colors will make a room look bigger and lighter, and these colors are most likely to go with the new buyer's furnishings.
¨ Neatly arrange everything in your closets, cabinets and other storage areas including the basement and garage. Get rid of all unnecessary items.
¨ Launder draperies and curtains, if needed.
¨ Fix all of the little things: loose door knobs, leaky faucets, towel racks, clean and repair caulk areas.
¨ Clear everything from kitchen counters.
¨ Clean out refrigerator.
¨ Pack away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks and souvenirs.
¨ Place fresh flowers, beautiful linens and large, white fluffy towels throughout the home.
¨ Use slip covers on mismatched furniture. If a piece of furniture is an essential part of the room but it doesn't match well, cover it up to effectively use only its structural attributes.
¨ Make traces of your pet disappear.
¨ Invest in new light switch covers. Most buyers will interact with several of the light switches throughout the house.