Plumbing and Fixtures
All your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot
be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones where needed. If you
don’t buy something fancy, this can be accomplished
inexpensively and they are fairly easy to install. Make sure all
the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the
faucets do not leak. If they do, replace the washers. It is not
difficult at all.
Check to make sure you have good water pressure and that there
are no stains on any of the porcelain. If you have a difficult
stain to remove, one trick is to hire a cleaning crew to go
through and clean your home on a one-time basis. They seem to be
wonderful at making stains go away.
Ceilings, Walls and Painting
Check all the ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks
leave stains, even after you have repaired the leak. Of course,
if you do have a leak, you will have to get it repaired, whether
it is a plumbing problem or the roof leaks.
You should do the same for walls, looking for not only stains,
but also areas where dirt has accumulated and you just may not
have noticed. Plus, you may have an outdated color scheme.
Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It
is not a very expensive operation and often you can do it
yourself. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences,
but based on what would appeal to the widest possible number of
buyers. You should almost always choose an off-white color
because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious.
Carpet and Flooring
Unless your carpet appears old and worn, or it is definitely an
outdated style or color, you probably should do nothing more
than hire a good carpet cleaner. If you do choose to replace it,
do so with something inexpensive in a fairly neutral color.
Repair or replace broken floor tiles, but do not spend a lot of
money on anything. Remember, you are not fixing up the place for
yourself. You want to move. Your goal is simply to have as few
negative impressions upon those who may want to purchase your
property.
Windows and Doors
Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close
easily. If not, a spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are
no cracked or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them
before you begin showing your home.
Do the same things with the doors – make sure they open and
close properly, without creaking. If they do, a shot of WD40 on
the hinges usually makes the creak go away. Be sure the
doorknobs turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to
look sharp. As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each
door and you want to do everything necessary to create a
positive impression.
Odor Control
For those who smoke, you might want to minimize smoking indoors
while trying to sell your home. You could also purchase an ozone
spray that helps to remove odors without creating a masking
odor.
Pets of all kinds create odors that you may have become used to,
but are immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned
olfactory senses. For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty
litter boxes daily. There are also products that you can
sprinkle in a layer below the kitty litter that helps to control
odor. For those with dogs, keep the dog outdoors as much as
possible. You might also try sprinkling carpet freshener on the
carpet on a periodic basis.
Costs of Repairs
Do not do anything expensive, such as
remodeling. If possible,
use savings to pay for any repairs and improvements – do not go
charging up credit cards or obtaining new loans. Remember that
part of selling a house is also preparing to buy your next home.
You do not want to do anything that will affect your credit
scores or hurt your ability to
qualify for your next
mortgage.
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