Step #3 List Your Home

Tips: Get the House Ready

Maximizing Interior Appeal
Remove any and all clutter
Hire a professional cleaning service, once every few weeks while the house is on the market.
Remove the less frequently used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics
Repaint dingy, soiled, or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint
Check for and repair cracks and leaks in the attic and basement
Repair cracks, holes, or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.
Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork.
Inspect and repair the plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm systems.
Repair dripping faucets and showerheads.
Buy showy new towels for the bathrooms, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.
Spruce up the kitchen by investing in new cabinet knobs, curtains, or a coat of paint

Maximizing exterior and curb appeal
-Keep the lawn edged, cut and watered regularly.
-Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly.
-Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.
-Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint.
-Clean and align gutters.
-Inspect and clean the chimney.
-Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles.
-Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking.
-Keep walks neatly cleared of snow and ice.
-During spring and summer months consider adding a few showy annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front entrance.