Show Ready- Get Your House Clean
May 13th, 2008 by Joy
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Are you moving anytime soon? If you are getting ready to put your home on the market there are a few cleaning essentials you should tend to before showing your home. By putting in a little effort upfront, your home will look its best and you can increase your chances of getting offers on your home quickly! A clean house not only shows better, but shows potential buyers that you have taken care of the home and it is well maintained.
A realtor and I were discussing this and she mentioned that "no one thinks that their dirt is dirty"- this is so true! If you were were getting ready to hop in the shower and noticed that it was in need of a scrubbing, you would most likely go ahead and take your shower, however if you were in a hotel you would probably not get in. Bottom line- clean up your dirt! It’s a turn off to potential buyers! Everyone knows to clean up clutter, and I think it is easy to get so caught up in eliminating clutter that we forget about a good old fashioned cleaning. So here is my essential list that I look at in every home I go into:
• Clean your light-fixtures!! Not only will it look better, but will improve the lighting and add sparkle.
• Clean your oven and any other appliances that are staying in the home. A dirty oven is a huge problem for me- it can make even new appliances seem old. Same goes for microwaves!
• Thoroughly clean your bathrooms- especially the shower!! I look in the door and to me this is a tell tale sign of how clean the shower is.
• Vacuum around air vents and change the filters. If I see a lot of dust on the vents or filters, it is a red flag that the system has not been properly maintained. And seriously… ick!!
• Wash windows, blinds, and window treatments. Dirty windows don’t show well, and dusty blinds- yuck!
• Steam or shampoo carpets- mystery stains? No thank you. Unless you want people giving you low-ball offers: get your carpets cleaned.
• Wipe down surfaces that are often forgotten such as light switches, door knobs (and the area around them!), etc. These areas can get grubby quickly and in your own home are easy to over-look but to potential buyers they make your home look, well grubby!
Other things that are essential before a showing:
• Empty your trash and any diaper pails. Don’t let your house get tagged as the smelly one!
• Clean up any pet waste- again no stinky litter boxes, and you don’t want anyone tracking in anything on your clean carpets!
• Vacuum high traffic areas
It can seem overwhelming trying to get your house ready to show- take advantage of offers from family and friends to help, or take the kids so you have time to get things done. If you are incredibly pressed for time, consider hiring out some of the work. It may seem like a big expense, but it can be worth the investment if it will sell your home faster.
What are your tips for cleaning your home before putting it on the market?
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