Preparing Your Home For Sale

What to do inside of your home

1. Nothing puts a person off more than peeling paintwork, especially on windows. Repaint and make sure all windows open and close easily. Rubbing a bar of soap up and down the runners will easily fix that.
2. Plaster any cracks or chips and if necessary, repaint.
3. Repaint any tarnished woodwork. In many cases you are competing with other homes which are virtually brand new.
4. Un-clutter every room. Show homes have a few choice pieces of furniture spread around creating space and airiness. It pays to position your furniture around walls or even remove some of it and put it in the garage until after the sale. Don't move any furniture just prior to inspections as the marks will be clearly visible on the carpet.
5. If there are stains on any of the carpets, have them cleaned back to freshness..
6. Test all blinds to make sure they function properly.
7. If you judge repainting is not necessary, then clean all marks off the paintwork with kerosene on a cloth. Kerosene evaporates without leaving any shiny patches. This may eliminate the need to repaint the walls.
8. Painting only one room may reflect badly on the other rooms around. If it is necessary to paint on room, you may consider either painting all the surrounding rooms as well or even the whole house.
9. Touch up or repaint skirting boards, architraves and door frames.
10. If you do repaint, choose light, neutral colours. Dark rooms make the home harder to sell and neutral colours will ensure as easy fit with your buyer’s furniture.
11. Oil any squeaky doors.
12. Make sure every light has a fitting. Purchase an inexpensive one for any missing. Replace any light bulbs that are not working. Clean all the fittings.
13. Re-paste any peeling wallpaper. Don't hang new wallpaper. Your house should appeal to as many people as possible. It is better to have a wall neutrally painted than impose your wallpaper tastes on the buyer.
14. Clear the fridge door of all its junk.