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• Put away all toys, tools, newspapers
and bags of garden waste.
• Keep the lawn freshly cut; the
sidewalks swept clean.
Spruce up the entrance:
• Clean all dirt and cobwebs from the
front of your home. Use a broom to
reach the flashing, gutters and porch
light.
• Wash the front door; paint it if
necessary. Polish the door hardware,
kick plate and light fixture.
• Remove and repair screens if they are
ripped or stretched out.
• Make sure that the doorbell works.
• Display your house number
prominently. Polish or repaint it if
necessary.
• Put a plant in a pot near the front
door. Out of season, fill the pot with
dried or silk branches from the craft
store. A good choice is cheery yellow
forsythia branches anchored with
floral foam.
• Replace a worn welcome mat with a
fresh one.
Inspect your deck or patio:
• Sweep deck, noting any areas of
wear. Power wash, refinish or paint
as necessary. Replace any bad
boards.
• Spray bricks with a hose, removing
dirt and weeds between bricks.
Replace any loose or chipped bricks.
Continue inside your home:
• Wash windows inside and out.
• Vacuum carpets; shampoo if
necessary.
• Vacuum draperies; clean if necessary.
Keep draperies open during the day
for maximum light.
• Scrub kitchen cabinets; clean floors
and baseboards. ("Hardwood Floor
Refresher" by Bona wipes on to
beautifully condition and enrich
wood floors. It is available for $16.99
per bottle at bonakemi.com )
• Remove all clutter from kitchen
and bathroom countertops: coffee
pot, toaster, blow dryer, papers,
prescription bottles, cosmetics, food.
Remove items stuck to refrigerator
door.
• Pack away items that reflect your
personal taste, for example, your set
of "spoons from around the world,"
diplomas, dolls or sports memorabilia
(buyers may not be "State" fans).
These items "over personalize" the
space and make it difficult for buyers
to imagine themselves in the home.
Plus, they add to the general clutter
and make the space seem smaller.
• Replace any burnt-out bulbs. Use the
highest wattage bulb allowable in
fixtures and lamps to brighten rooms.
• Remove half of the items from every
closet. Fold remaining items neatly.
Keep items stored on the closet floor
to a minimum. Box up out-of-season
clothing and store it in the basement
or attic. Remember, you're moving!
Pack it up now to save time later.
• Touch up any nicks in the walls or
trim, especially on the baseboards
and on the stairway. Test trim paint
in an inconspicuous area first.
Careful with paint. Too much of it may
signal problems with potential buyers.
Don't make
these home
prep mistakes
1. Don't overpaint. A fresh
coat of paint is a good idea
for most rooms, but too
much can be a red flag to
buyers, realtors and
building inspectors. They
may think you are hiding
evidence of a leak. If you'd
like to paint, do it months
before you plan to show the
house.
2. Don't cover odors with
• Clean oven, stove, microwave and
fireplace(s).
sprays or candles. Smoke,
• If you have pets, make it seem
like you don't! Some realtors even
recommend kenneling.
to be removed by cleaning
• Preparing your home to sell is kind
of like getting it ready for a party—
except the party can last for weeks
... even months! Invest in the time
upfront to find a place for everything
so that you don't have to re-clean
every time someone wants to see the
house. You've got to be able to get
people into your home when they
call. (Or they'll go look somewhere
else!) Finally, when you get the call,
get out! Nothing stifles a showing
more than the owner being there.
pet or other odors need
— or even replacing — the
carpet. The smell of your
home is so important that
some realtors advise buying
new shower curtains for
that "clean" new home
smell.
2124060002- 12DJ NInsert
• Tidy up the yard.
3. Don't neglect the garage.
Thoroughly clean and
organize the garage. Rent a
storage locker, if necessary,
to house large off-season
items like your lawnmower
and golf clubs.
November 2012 • Floor Space Magazine I 21
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Start outside your home: