Ceilings and walls:
Paint is
fairly cheap and it can be a great friend. Freshly painting walls and
ceilings can brighten up a room and really make it appear more open and
larger. When painting try to use the most neutral colors (off white) as
possible. Not everyone has the same taste in color and design, and besides
their furniture may not mach the red or green walls that your furniture
does. Check for water stains. There may have been a leak way in the past
that’s been fixed and never had a problem since, but a lot of people look at
water stains as something potentially wrong with the house.
Plumbing:
Fix running toilets, & leaky faucets.
Most of these items can be fix by simply replacing a 25¢ rubber washer. All
sinks, bathtubs, showers, and fixtures should appear polished and clean as
possible. If need buy newer sink faucets were necessary and remove water
stains as much as possible. This can be done inexpensively, and easy to
replace.
Carpet and Flooring:
Unless your
carpet is worn and trashed you shouldn’t need anything other than a good
carpet cleaning. If you do decide to replace the carpet, go with something
inexpensive and neutral in color. Repair any broken or missing floor tiles.
Remember not to spend too much, your moving. Your goal is get showings and
make as few negative impressions as possible.
Widows and doors:
Open all
windows and doors and make sure they open and close easily. Replace any
broken or cracked windowpanes. Make sure all your doorknobs are tight with
the door. Oil any squeaky hinges with a shot of WD40. Polish doorknobs so
they look clean and sharp.
Odor Control:
For those of
you who smoke try to limit your amount of smoking in the house as much as
possible, you can also buy an ozone spray that will help remove odors. Pets
of all kinds create an odor that you may have become use to, especially to
those who don’t have pets. Try to keep litter box as clean as possible, and
try keeping dogs out side as much as possible. Try to keep furniture and floors
clean of hair. Lighting candles and plug in air fresheners can also help a
lot.
Basement:
The basement
is where people look for the most problems. Unless you absolutely need it put
the dehumidifier in the storage unit with your other stuff. When people see
a dehumidifier in the basement that automatically translates into water and
moisture in the basement, which means there’s something wrong with the
foundation, and most of the time that's not the case at all.
Outside:
Curb appeal
is extremely important. The outside of your house is the first thing people
are going to see, and first impressions are lasting impressions. If the
outside of the house doesn’t appeal to someone driving by, chances are won’t
even want to see the inside of the house, and it may be exactly what they’ve
been looking for. Remove any chipped paint and repaint where needed. Make
sure shutters and gutters are clean and strait. Clean and repair any broken
windows. Clear away and remove any dead foliage. Put away out of season
items such as rakes, shovels, or snow blowers. Try and remove any grease or
oil spots from the driveway.
Cost
of Repairs:
Remember not
to spend a lot of money on these repairs. You’re selling
the house and wont be there to enjoy the improvements, so don’t spend a lot
of money and buy the best, running up a credit and potentially damaging your
credit for when you go to buy your next house.
Your properties market value
