Clean everything - carpets included. Ask an honest friend to assess your efforts, especially sensitive areas like odors. Clean the oven and all appliances. Clean all grease spatters and polish chrome fixtures and surfaces. Don't forget the filter for the air vent over the stove. Clean window treatments and carpets. Replace worn, stained and odorous carpeting. Clean smudges, especially around doorknobs, light switches and those corners and door frames where people put their hands. Rattles Squeeks and Leaks leave the impression that the house needs work. Eliminate them.
| Don't forget about squeeky steps and wobbly banisters. Clutter and dark colors turn off most buyers. That means get rid of everything you can live without, and give the walls a fresh coat of paint. Have a garage sale to eliminate unnecessary items. Use the money you make to put some bulkier furniture items in storage. Bright lights and light walls make a room look bigger. Clear kitchen and bath counter tops. Reduce the number of items in the cabinets. Use cute storage baskets to corral things in cabinets and closets. Arrange clothing neatly in the closet and remove as much as possible from closet floor. | Repair leaking roof and remove all signs of water damage: paint over water stains and remove any affected wallpaper. Repair leaky faucets and pipes. Caulk around all sink, shower and tub drains. Also repair/clean or replace caulk around showers, tubs, sinks and the counters around them. If you don't know how to caulk, pay someone. A bad caulk job is sometimes worse than no caulk. Tighten loose doorknobs, light switch plates and cabinet hinges. Repair sticking doors and windows. Tack down all loose molding and caulk where necessary. |
