Once
you’ve minimized the clutter in your home, clearing out excess items and
furniture, you’ll be ready to concentrate on repairs, cleaning, and
decoration. Your goal is to get each
room looking its sharpest and most fresh—the better your house looks, the
greater your chances that it will sell quickly and for top dollar. Concentrate on the following areas to get
your home into selling shape.
Walls
and Ceiling:
Examine all the ceilings and walls for
water stains or dirt. We don’t often
look closely at the walls that surround us, so be careful—there could be
residual stains from leaks that have long been fixed, or an accumulation of
dirt in an area you hadn’t noticed.
Painting the walls may be the best
investment you can make when preparing your home to sell. You can do it yourself, and relatively
inexpensively. Remember, the colours you
choose should appeal to the widest range of buyers, not just to your own
personal taste. A shade of off-white is
the best bet for most rooms, as it makes the space appear larger and bright.
Carpet
and Flooring:
Does your carpet appear old, or worn in
areas? Is it an outdated colour or
pattern? If the answer to either of
these questions is yes, you should consider replacing it. You can find replacement carpeting that is
relatively inexpensive. And always opt
for neutral colours.
Any visibly broken floor tiles should be
replaced. But make sure you don’t spend
too much on these replacements. The goal
isn’t to re-vamp the entire home, but, rather, to avoid causing any negative
impressions due to noticeable damage or wear around the house.
Doors
and Windows:
Check the entire house for any cracked or
chipped window panes. If they are
damaged in any way, replace them. Test
all windows, as well, to ensure they open and close easily. Try spraying WD40 on any with which you’re
having trouble. This should loosen them
up.
The same can be done with sticking or
creaking doors. A shot of WD40 on the
hinges should make the creak disappear.
Check to make sure each door knob turns smoothly and polish it to
gleaming.
Odour
Check:
Begin by airing out the house. Chances are, you’d be the last person to
notice any strange or unpleasant smell that may be immediately apparent to
visitors.
If you smoke indoors, you’ll want to
minimize the smell before you show your home.
Take your cigarettes outside for a period of time before you begin
showing. Ozone sprays also help
eliminate those lingering odours without leaving a masking, perfumed smell.
Be careful if you have a pet. You may have become used to the particular
smell of your cat or dog. Make sure
litter boxes are kept clean. Keep your
dog outdoors as much as possible. You
may want to intermittently sprinkle your carpets with carpet freshener as
well.
Plumbing
and Fixtures:
All sink fixtures should look shiny and
fresh. Buy new ones if scrubbing fails
to get them into shape. Replacing them
can be done fairly easily and inexpensively.
Check to make sure all hot and cold faucets are easy to turn and that
none of the faucets leaks. If you do
find a leaking faucet, change the washer.
Again, this is an easy and inexpensive procedure.
Finally, check the water pressure of each
faucet, and look for any stains on the porcelain of the sinks or tubs.
Once
you’ve covered all these bases, your house will be in prime shape for its time
on the market. Congratulations—you’re
ready to begin showing!
I am the GUY that will make a difference!
I specialize in selling homes in the in the Okanagan Valley including
Westbank, West Kelowna, Peachland with a focus on Rose Valley, Lakeview
Heights, West Kelowna Estates and Shannon Lake.
Karen Guy, REALTOR®
Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty
C 250.878.3605
O 250.768.8001
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