Howard County Home Sellers – The 5 Best Uses of Your Time and Dollars – #2 – Cleaning (Cost: $0; Return: High)
What would Martha Stewart do? Clean and Organize! Or as I like to tell my Howard County Home Sellers, “You need to Martha Stewartize this linen closet.”
Clean:
- Windows: Wash inside and out. Twice, if necessary.
- Bathrooms: Re-caulk your tubs, showers and sink; bleach grout if stained; polish faucets and mirrors; fresh towels.
- Kitchen: Clean out the refrigerator, oven, stove top, the dishwasher.
- House-wide: Dust – cobwebs, ceiling fan blades, light fixtures; replace worn rugs.
- Daily upkeep: Vacuum, sweep front steps, clean front door, storm door fingerprints, bathroom mirror splashes, and wipe down sinks and countertops.
Rearrange:
- If the contents of your closets and cabinets are neat, clean, and well-organized, they’re sending a message that YOU are neat, clean, and well-organized – and that you take care of the REST of the house just as carefully. Good message to send potential buyers!
Repair: Minor repairs not handled again send a message to buyers, so:
- Check that all doors and drawers open and close easily and latch properly.
- Patch and repaint holes in the walls or doors.
- Fix leaky faucets and ensure drains close properly.
- Replace burned-out light bulbs – and replace them with the highest allowable wattage.
Buyers notice if something doesn’t work properly, and then they start to look for other issues in the house. As I’ve pointed out in previous posts, choosing a house is a process of elimination. A buyer could easily eliminate your home from their list of top choices if they think it hasn’t been well maintained. After all, if minor issues weren’t addressed, it could easily be construed that larger, unknown issues exist as well. Don’t let the fear of the unknown scratch your house from the top of their list!
Did you miss the First Best Use of Your Time and Dollars for Howard County Home Sellers? #1 Decluttering
Best regards, Gretchen
- Did You Know? A professional stager is an awesome investment at any point in this series. Call me today at 443-676-1625 if you’d like to receive a FREE home staging consultation with a professional home stager. (Limited time offer.)
