When it comes to selling a home, ignore the old adage. You really do need to sweat the small stuff. No matter where you live, every home has little things that need to be fixed - things that detract from the value of the home. Little things that need to be fixed will make the value of your home go up - along with your asking price.
It may be easy for you to overlook cracked tiling in the kitchen, holes from your son's errant baseball, that dripping faucet in the laundry room, but for a prospective buyer, these are red flags that may indicate your home hasn't been well maintained.
Here's a list of some easy fixes to problems that you might overlook:
Open and shut. Make sure that each door in your home closes and locks properly. Buyers may mistakenly think that a sagging door signals a serious foundation problem.
Light work. Put in new light bulbs in every room. The clean, bright light from a new bulb will make your home shine.
Squeaky clean. Clean your home from the attic to the basement! Don't forget to dust blinds, vacuum out light fixtures, and wash fingerprints off odd spots - like the ceiling. Pay particular attention to the windows. Recently, I found myself frantically cleaning some dirty windows at a home that I listed and that house sold in a week. (Your mileage may vary - but clean windows won't hurt!)
Under pressure. Pressure wash the exterior of your home. Make sure you clean all of the exterior of the house itself - bricks and siding, foundation and eaves. You should also pay particular attention to the steps, porches, decks, sidewalks, and driveways. Every inch of your home should be pristine.
Worn out. Replace anything worn. Take a look at faucets and other plumbing fixtures. Check your light fixtures; make sure your switches aren't cracked or dirty. Examine rugs in entry ways, carpet on the steps, handles on your cabinets.
Yard for sale. Get your yard in shape. Trim bushes and weed your flower beds. Make sure your lawn is edged and mulched nicely. It's been really dry lately in Chapel Hill, so if you have plants that look anemic, water and fertilize them - or replace them as needed. Remove any branches or leaves from your yard.
Up on the roof. Check your roof and gutters for damage, dirt, leaves, and debris. Give a good initial clean out, and then keep your eye on it after any rain or wind.
Got your number. Make sure your house number is easily visible from the street. You want every buyer to find you easily!
So go ahead. Sweat the small stuff. These little things may just make your home sell a whole lot faster!
Vivian Olkin sells homes in Chapel Hill, NC, and is crazy about helping individuals get their homes sold! Visit her website for her real estate wisdom and wit, including great tips on staging a home for sale.
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