More tips on selling your own home

Check your home from top to bottom for signs of wear. Are the ceilings water stained, needing paint or, heaven forbid, drooping? Are any of the walls’ plaster chipped or in need of paint? Are all corner moldings properly tacked down? How about the lighting fixtures; are the cords in good repair? Are all bulbs in working condition? How is the flooring? Any squeaks when you walk across the floor or up or down the stairs? Is the linoleum, hard wood or tile in good condition? If you have carpeting is it clean? How are the exterior and interior doors looking? Are any of them in need of paint or in need of shimming? When you close the door does it stick? Do all the door knobs work and do any need to be adjusted? Are your countertops free of chips and scratches? Are all moldings tacked down? Are all the drawer handles and cabinetry fixtures secured? Are all of your hand railings secure and not wobbly?

If you are in the income range of someone who can afford to pay for a home staging company to come in and design a set of furniture and other décor to exemplify your home by all means do this. Your housekeeper or cleaning service should follow this up with a quick dust, vacuum and floor care after they leave. Home stagers are all the rage and seem to produce a predictable profit increase for the home owners who hire their services.

For the rest of us a head to toe cleaning is of primary importance. Start at the curb of your home. Follow the line of sight up to your door. Remove any dog bones or old news papers and leaves. Sweep your stoop or front step area. Do you need to replace your welcome matt? Next begin at the front door checking for what the potential customer would first see upon entering. Does anything look out of place or unusual about the placement of your furniture or television for that matter? Is there an immediate odor of pet, smoke or other item that may offend your guest?

Now that you have the yard and entry way checked out it is time to begin your top to bottom cleaning of the interior of your home. Dust for cob webs first; especially in corners of the ceilings and light fixtures. Clean all door handles and smudge marks from doors and light switches. Move on to the floors. Vacuum, sweep and mop as needed. Clean your bathrooms very well. Use a tooth brush and bleach to clean old or mildew grouted areas, being very careful not to spill any bleach on the carpeting and use a foot stone to clean the water stain ring from the inside of your toilet bowel. Scrub all counter spaces and toilets. Pick up all clutter from beds and make all the beds. Move into the kitchen and do your dishes clean off the counters and put things away that are sitting around on your tables and counters. Did you remember to clean the oven; is the toe plate grill under the refrigerator clean? Is the top of the refrigerator and the shelf space above the cabinets clutter free? Dust everything and shine glass and mirror surfaces.

If in the initial check of your home you discovered that your walls need painted this is the time to do so. Your home is basically clean and you can concentrate better on the task at hand. You will want to approach painting only on days when you would feel comfortable with the windows open for 8 hours or more; not in the middle of winter. After your paint is dry and the smell has gone from your home you can think about the placement of artifacts and sense. You will use these to inspire the feeling of warmth, welcome and tranquility. Candles, flowers; fresh cut or artificial, lend a feeling of serenity and possibility to a room. If you have pets you will want to arrange for them to be away or in the back yard while you’re prospective buyers are guests in your home. It is possible that your people will have allergies to animals. What about your fireplace? Has a fire been lit in it recently? It is a good thing for your home to have a lived in look while still being clutter free and allowing the vision of the potential buyer some room to paint his own life style over the way your home looks now.

Play soft background music and if you’re so inclined bake something delicious to offer your quests. The aroma of fresh apple pie is sure to elicit memories of home in most people. Your goal is to make your space appear to them as their next home.

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