When
getting
your
home
ready to
sell,
you need
to look
at your
house in
a new
way.
Think of
your
house as
a
product
about to
go on
the
market
where it
is
probably
competing
with
brand
new
housing.
It needs
to show
well–which
means
clutter-free
and well
kept.
Today’s
homebuyers
lead
busy
lives
and may
not be
interested
in
taking
on major
repairs
or
improvements
upon
moving
in. You
need to
make
your
house a
“10”.
This
document
will
help you
spot
what is
right
and what
is not
so good
about
your
product.
It will
give you
the
opportunity
to take
needed
corrective
action
to
ensure
your
house
looks
fresh,
clean
and well
maintained
when the
“for
sale”
sign
goes up.
Fix
It First
If
you need
to make
improvements
to your
home, do
the work
before
it goes
on the
market.
Potential
buyers
are not
interested
in
hearing
about
your
good
intentions
to look
after
defects
before a
transfer
of
ownership
takes
place.
Even if
fix-up
work is
underway,
buyers
may not
be able
to
visualize
what
your
home
will
look
like
when the
work is
finished.
They
will
just
remember
it being
in a
state of
disrepair.
Professional
Inspection,
Yes or
No?
A
serious
buyer
may want
to have
a
professional
home
inspector
check
your
house
from top
to
bottom
before
making
an
offer.
Even
though
this
guide
will
help you
identify
problems
on your
own, the
option
of
hiring a
professional
home
inspector
is open
to you,
as well.
If you
can
afford
it, an
inspection
in
advance
of
putting
your
home on
the
market
is a
good
idea. It
is your
best way
of
finding
and
taking
care of
serious
deficiencies
before
an
inspector
hired by
a
potential
buyer
discovers
them.
Let’s
Begin
Outside
Check
Your
House’s
Curb
Appeal
How
does
your
house
look
from the
street?
That is
where
prospective
buyers
will be
when
they
first
see your
home;
and,
that is
where
they
will
form
that
all-important
first
impression.
Stand at
the curb
in front
of your
house
and note
what you
see.
Remove
any
clutter
in
your
yard.
Repair
cracked
or
uneven
driveway
or
walkway
surfaces.
If
your
lawn
has
bald
spots,
apply
some
top
dressing
and
re-seed.
Prune
trees
and
shrubs
of
dead
wood.
Weed
and
mulch
flower
beds,
if
you
have
them.
If
it
is
the
right
time
of
year,
consider
buying
some
flower-filled
planters
to
enhance
the
eye
appeal
of
your
property.
Make
sure
your
lawn
is
mowed
regularly.
Ensure
that
the
composter
area
is
tidy.
Are
your
windows
and
walls
clean?
Does
your
front
door
need
paint?
Ensure
your
eaves
and
downspouts
are
clear
of
debris
and
in
good
repair.
Are
your
backyard
deck
and
walkways
clean?
If
not,
use
a
power
washer
and
do
any
necessary
painting,
staining
or
sealing.
If
you
have
a
swimming
pool,
are
the
deck
and
pool
clean
(when
in
season)?
Do
all
outside
lights
work?
Replace
any
burned
out
bulbs,
and
clean
fixtures
of
dirt
and
cobwebs.
Is
there
a
shed?
Does
it
look
presentable?
Do
the
window
and
exterior
door
need
recaulking?
Even
at
6-7
years
of
age,
the
caulking
may
be
dried
out
and
in
need
of
replacement.
Do
you
have
decorative
wooden
poles
on
the
porch?
Is
the
wood
at
the
bottom
in
good
condition
and
overall
does
it
need
a
new
coat
of
paint?
If
you
have
a
gate,
is
it
well
oiled?
When
you have
completed
the curb
appeal
inspection,
carefully
check
the rest
of your
home’s
exterior.
Will
your
roof and
chimney
pass
inspection?
If
you are
uneasy
about
climbing
onto
your
roof,
you can
inspect
most
items
from the
ground
using
binoculars.
Otherwise,
be
careful
when
working
or
moving
about on
your
roof.
Unless
roof
repair
is a
simple
matter
of
applying
new
caulking,
you will
probably
need the
services
of a
professional.
Check
the
general
condition
of
your
roof.
Sagging
sections,
curled
shingles,
pooled
water
on
flat
roofs
and
corrosion
on
metal
roofing
mean
it
is
time
for
repair
or
replacement.
Both
masonry
and
metal
chimneys
need
to
be
straight
and
structurally
sound,
have
proper
capping
on
top
and
watertight
flashing
where
they
penetrate
the
roof.
All
roofs
undergo
stress
from
snow
and
rain
loads
so
it
is
possible
a
truss
or
rafter
may
become
damaged,
resulting
in
a
noticeable
small
depression.
A
professional
should
do
this
inexpensive
repair.
Examine
Your
Walls
The
condition
of your
exterior
walls
directly
affects
the look
and curb
appeal
of your
home.
Replace
old
caulking.You
may
have
to
cut
or
scrape
away
old
caulking
to
get
a
good
seal.
Do
not
seal
drainage
or
ventilation
gaps.
Is
your
exterior
paint
looking
good?
If
you
see
faded
colours
and
cracked
or
peeling
surfaces,
you
need
to
repaint.
Be
sure
to
get
competitive
bids
if
you
hire
professional
painters.
You
can
clean
vinyl
siding
but
defects
or
damage
to
it
and
to
metal
siding
usually
means
replacement.
Stucco
can
be
repaired
but
some
skill
is
required
to
blend
patches
with
existing
stucco.
Now,
Let’s
Go
Indoors
A
prospective
buyer
will
usually
enter
through
your
front
door;
so, that
is where
you
should
begin
your
interior
inspection.You
want
your
buyer to
see a
neat,
clean,
well-lit
interior.
Get
clutter
out of
sight;
ensure
that
carpets
are
clean
and
floors
are
scrubbed
and
polished;
and that
walls
and trim
show
fresh
paint
(preferably
neutral
or light
colours).
Take
a sniff.
Are
there
any
unpleasant
odours
in your
home? If
so,
track
them
down and
eliminate
them.
Ensure
all your
lights
work and
are free
of
cobwebs.You
want
your
home to
look
spacious,
bright
and
fresh.
If
you have
considerable
family
memorabilia
about,
consider
thinning
it
out.Your
objective
is to
help
potential
buyers
feel as
if they
could
live in
your
home.
That
mental
leap
becomes
more
difficult
for them
if your
house
resembles
a shrine
to you
and your
family.
Professional
realtors
and
decorators
say the
most
important
areas of
your
home to
upgrade
and
modernize
are the
kitchen
and
bathrooms.
Buyers
also
want to
see new
or
recently
installed
floor
coverings
throughout.
General
Interior
Check
stairs
for
loose
boards,
ripped
carpeting,
and
missing
or
loose
handrails
and
guards.
Most
problems
with
interior
walls
are
cosmetic
and
can
be
repaired
with
spackling
compound
and
paint.
Ensure
doors
open
and
shut
properly.
Minor
sticking
is
normal
but
excessive
binding
indicates
possible
structural
problems.
Open
and
close
all
windows
to
ensure
they
work
properly.
Fogging
between
the
panes
of
a
sealed
window
indicates
the
seal
is
broken
and
the
unit
needs
to
be
replaced.
Living
Room,
Halls,
Family
Room,
Den,
Bedrooms
Keep
furniture
to a
minimum
so these
rooms do
not
appear
smaller
than
they
are.
Ensure
that
traffic
can flow
in or
through
these
rooms
unimpeded.
If they
contain
bookshelves
or
cabinets
overflowing
with
books,
magazines
and
knick-knacks,
remove
some of
these
items.
Ensure
bedroom
closets
look
spacious,
organized
and
uncluttered.
Create
space by
getting
rid of
old
clothes
and
junk.
Remember
to
remove
or lock
away
valuables
such as
jewellery,
coins,
currency,
cameras
and
compact
discs.
Kitchens
and
Bathrooms
People
splash
water
around
in
the
kitchen
and
bathrooms
so
check
around
sinks,
tubs
and
toilets
for
rotting
countertops
and
floors.
Problems
could
be
due
to
poor
caulking
or
plumbing
leaks.
Fogged
windows,
molds
and
sweating
toilet
tanks
indicate
high
humidity
levels,
which
you
can
remedy
with
exhaust
fans.
In
the
kitchen,
clean
all
appliances,
including
your
oven.
Clean
or
replace
your
greasy
stove
hood
filter.
Clean
your
cabinets
inside
and
out,
as
well
as
your
countertops
and
backsplashes.
Repair
dripping
faucets.
Remove
anything
stored
on
top
of
your
fridge
and
remove
artwork
and
magnets.
Remove
any
items
stored
on
countertops.
Remove
items
stored
under
the
sink.
In
bathrooms,
scrub
sinks,
tubs
and
toilets
taking
care
to
remove
any
rust
stains.
Remove
mildew
from
showers
and
bathtubs.
Fix
dripping
faucets
or
trickling
toilets,
and
vacuum
your
fan
grill.
Clean
mirrors,
light
switch
plates
and
cupboard
handles.
