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OUTSIDE MAINTENANCE
A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free
porch will welcome prospects. If it's Autumn rake the leaves. If
it's winter, shovel the walkways with a nice neat edging. The fewer
obstacles between the prospects and the true appeal of your home,
the better.
Scrape and paint all those wood surfaces that are
worn, peeling or cracking. Dress up your front door with a fresh
coat of paint and add a seasonal wreath. Remember...Curb appeal is
crucial.
Clear your gutters and downspouts of debris
(leaves, sticks, pine needles, etc.) that may block the flow of
water from your roof to the ground area.
Properly grade the area under your downspouts and
around your house, so rainwater flows away from your foundation and
basement area. Installing five or six foot downspout extensions will
ensure that the rainwater (from the roof) flows away from the
foundation/basement area to prevent any seepage.
Plantings and bark mulch should be set away from
the foundation to ensure regular watering does not add to soil
moisture around the basement. Lawn sprinklers should not hit the
house or the area next to the foundation.
Ensure that the grading around the foundation starts
at 8 inches down from the top of your foundation wall or siding and
slopes away from the home approximately 5 to 6 feet away. Failure
add sloped grading may cause moisture to build up at or around the
foundation (which causes basement seepage) and promotes the
environment for mold growth and wood boring insect activity.
Keep mulch, dirt and other landscaping material away
from veneer drainage system weep holes commonly found on, but not
limited to veneer masonry and stucco homes. The veneer drainage
system diverts water away from the interior of the exterior wall
system and the weep holes allow the water to escape from the wall.
If the weep holes are blocked or clogged with debris, mold may form
on the interior of your exterior walls. The weep holes are found at
the bottom course of the finished veneer.
Sidewalks, steps, stoops and all exterior foundation
cracks should be filled or sealed with mortar in order to
bring up to date. Prospective Buyer's don't want to see cracks
everywhere.
Caulking around windows, doors, foundation, chimney
gap at the siding transition and other common leakage points is
necessary to prevent any moisture intrusion.
Repair any broken fencing that you may have around
your property. Painting this fence will make it appear newer.
During the Summer months, add colorful plantings and
bark mulch around exterior of the home, but not next to the
foundation.
BASEMENT
Neaten up the basement. A cluttered basement is not what a
potential buyer wants to see.
Clean up and professionally correct any
water
problems in your basement. To include upgrading the foundation
with mortar parging on loose brittle areas and tuckpointing any
loose cavities and cracks.
Test the Sump Pump float.
I recommend you have a professional Exterminator inspect for wood
boring insects before the Buyers Home Inspector locates them, which
will cause serious delays in the close of escrow.
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INSIDE MAINTENANCE Clean
everything in sight. The kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and general
living spaces, and clean/test household appliances and
equipment. Don't forget to clean the grout at all tile
locations. No matter what physical condition the property is in,
it should be clean, tidy and uncluttered.
Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair
damaged or unsightly caulking and silicone in the tubs and
showers. For added allure, display your best towels, mats and
shower curtains.
Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For
a spacious look, get rid of and store all excess furniture
off-site. Colorful bedspreads, comforters and curtains are a
must.
You want buyers to view your home as their potential home.
Therefore you want to downplay your personality and neutralize
your decor. Put away family photos, artwork, sports trophies,
collectable items, knick-knacks, books and souvenirs. Put them
in a box or a rented storage area for a few months. Then, it's
always good to replace those personal items with a few
decorative touches throughout your home.
Buyers are impressed by space and light and are disappointed
by cramped spaces. Living and dining rooms, in particular,
usually contain too many chairs and belongings. In addition, too
many heavy pieces of furniture make a room look and feel
"crowded" to a buyer. Taking things away is very important, it
opens up the house. Temporarily store all unwanted items. And
remember, potential buyers will be looking for more than just
comfortable living space. They're looking for storage space,
too. While your storing your unwanted items, Make sure your
attic and basement are clean and free of unnecessary items.
Put away any extra items like out-of-season clothing, extra
linens and small appliances. Stack boxes neatly in an
unobtrusive spot, such as the garage, basement or even better, a
temporary off-site storage unit. Keep only enough furniture to
enhance the space and show how the rooms can be used. You want
buyers to see the fireplace (not the sofa), and the view, not
the big-screen TV.
Shampoo and deodorize all carpets. If your carpet is heavily
soiled, you may want to have it professionally cleaned. If your
carpet is badly worn, outdated or stained, consider replacing
it.
Polish all hardwood floors and wash all non-hardwood floors
and walls with household cleaners and disinfectants. Use a broom
to clear cobwebs from the high and low corners of all rooms and
closets.
Nothing makes a home look newer faster than painting.
Painting your walls and wood trim and removing any outdated
wallpaper may be the best interior improvements you can make.
For a broader appeal, paint in neutral colors such as beige,
white, off-white or any soft color. These colors will suggest
newness and cleanliness and can brighten a dull or outdated
room.
Brighten the interior of your home by cleaning all windows,
blinds and draperies.
Repair those small things now. Tighten and polish all
hardware. Repair dripping faucets and waste pipes, as this
suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. Clean, or re-grout tiles
and replace any missing or cracked tiles. Upgrade all silicone
at the transition areas.
Clean all hanging light fixtures and add the highest-wattage
bulbs allowed. Burned out bulbs leave prospects in the dark.
Replace every burned out light bulb. Don't let little issues
detract from what's right with your home.
Properly
insulate attic (12 to 14" of Blanket insulation or 8 to 10"
of blown-in insulation) and make sure that your attic has the
proper ventilation.
If you (or a family member) are a smoker... clean, prime and
paint any nicotine stained walls, wood trim and ceilings
thoroughly and refrain from smoking in the home.
If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be
sure they will also stick in a prospects mind. Don't try to
explain away sticky situations when you can easily fix them.
Repair (hand-plane) all sticking doors and windows now. Replace
all broken, worn or ripped screens. A little effort on your part
can smooth the way toward an easy closing. While your there
checking your closet doors, now is the time to box up those
unwanted clothes and donate them to charity. The better
organized a closet, the larger it appears. |
