Your house is familiar to you, so you see home, but how will it feel to a buyer?

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• Maintained & cared for or neglected & run down?

• Fresh & clean or old & worn?

• Roomy & orderly or crowded & cluttered?

• Light & open or dark & confining?

• Comfortable & inviting or stark & cold

Let’s go look at a few other homes for sale and a couple of new-home models so you can see what buyers will be comparing your house with.

Your buyer will have your house thoroughly inspected before they close

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• How is the roof?

• Are the plumbing & electrical systems up to code?

• Do the furnace, water heater, a/c, & fireplace need to be cleaned & serviced?

• How is your foundation & drainage?

• What other issues will an inspector discover?

• Find the flaws now so you can correct them before they turn your buyer off

Give your buyer the peace of mind to love your house by showing that you’ve already had it all checked out, and give yourself the peace of mind that expensive repairs are already accounted for when you reach an agreement.

It’s much easier and cheaper to address any known issues before your buyer finds them than afterward!

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• What partly-finished projects, nuisance repairs, and regular maintenance items need to be completed?  Now is the time!

• Major issues like roof, plumbing, electrical, etc..?

• Minor items like replacing light bulbs, oiling squeaky hinges, fixing dripping faucets, changing furnace filters, etc..?

Clutter may make your house feel homey to you, but it makes it feel smaller, more crowded, and less cared for to everyone else.

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• You want your buyer to feel like they could unpack a suitcase and be at home, not like they are surrounded by your stuff

• What can you do to make it feel more open, inviting, and orderly

• Start with floor space—what furniture & other big items can go?

• Surfaces need to be clear, except for a decorative item here or there—for showings & pictures, how can you hide the stuff you actually use?

• How can you make storage spaces & closets feel tidy and roomy? What can you throw away? Give away? Store away somewhere else?

You're home reflects your unique personality and preferences, but we want to appeal to as many buyers as possible—what might distract or offend them?

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• Do you have strong colors that need to be changed?

• Are there personal items, posters, or pictures that might offend?

• Can you hide the evidence of any pets you have? (not everyone loves them)

• Are there any unpleasant odors?

We want your buyer to fall in love—the difference between normal-clean and showing-clean is subtle but powerful!

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• Do carpets need to be cleaned or stretched?  Floors refinished?

• Do walls, doors, and baseboards need fresh paint or stain?

• Dust, vaccum, and clean everything—including high and hidden places

• Make shiny surfaces like windows, mirrors, kitchen & bathrooms sparkle!

• Make it look, feel, smell, and sound its very best!

• Ask me for a handy checklist to help plan for successful showings