Getting the Most from Selling Your Home

by Steve Sproul California General Contractor #450095

If you have decided to sell your home there are two rooms that can help a house sell and get you the most money for your house. Concentrate your efforts on the Kitchen and Bathroom. When folks come to buy, the little things count. Have me over to do a Walk Thru Inspection. This will give you a list of items to take care of. We can prioritize the things to do and take care of the important ones before your prospective buyer is on site.

Here are low cost things you can do to get the most from your sale:

1. Trim up thebushes around the front view of the house. Make it visible from the street.
   
2. Paint the front entrance and put a couple of potted flowers by the front door.
   
3. If the rooms are the slightest bit cluttered, remove some of the furniture.
   
4. Clean the house thoroughly and keep the windows clean. Hire a cleaning service if you must.
   
5. Tighten any loose knobs or faucets.
   
6. Make sure the porch light and front bell are working.
7. No matter what you have in your closets, take at least half of it out. Store it in moving boxes off the premises. Remove at least half of what you have on your kitchen counter.

Just before showing the house:

1. Close the garage door.
   
2. Park the kids and pets with a neighbor.
   
3. Put away the kids toys.
   
4. Turn on all the lights and open all the curtains unless it looks out on a wall of graffiti.
   
5. If there is a smoker in the house, remove all ashtrays and other evidence of tobacco. Use an air freshener if the house does not already smell fresh. I like an herbal sachet in my vaccum.
   
6. Turn off all appliances and play very soft music in the background.

Comments or Questions (I'll give you the straight stuff!) mailto:stevesproul@comcast.net

Go To: Return to main page 11/11/2009