1. Lawns and Yard - Remove clutter, cut grass, edge walks, trim hedges, weed gardens.
2. Front of House - Paint, fix or wash railings, steps, storms, screens and/or front door. The front door is the very first thing the buyer will notice. Make a statement here. Clean up doggy doo.
3. Other Exterior - Side or back door, gutters, wash windows. Dirty windows are a turn-off. Somewhat more acceptable in the winter but not in other seasons. Clean all around inside of windows and window ledges.
4. Garage - Straighten up, paint, fix or wash doors and windows. Garage can also be used for storing items from the house but keep it tidy.
5. Plumbing - Repair dripping faucets & leaky toilets.
6. Heating/Cooling - clean exterior of unit and replace air filters. A home inspector will be drawing conclusions about how clean this area is. It doesn't hurt to have the furnace serviced prior to listing your home. Keep the invoice handy.
7. Lights - Replace all burned out bulbs, faulty switches, remove energy saver bulbs and replace with 60 watt standard. Lights should be on for all showings.
8. Halls and Stairs - Remove any clutter to give wide appearance. Less is more.
9. Hardware - Oil hinges, tighten door knobs, faucets. Make sure cupboard doors are solid.
10. General Condition - Dust, wash, paint, fix defects as required. Vacuum cold air returns.
11. Consider the feeling of spaciousness - Store un-needed items to "enlarge" the room size.
12. Keep broadloom free of lint - try to vacuum before showings.
13. Keep house free of any cooking odours, particularly those caused from cooking highly spiced foods. Air out house daily in summer. Make sure humidity levels aren't too high in winter.
14.Kitchen - Stove, refrigerator, sink should be spotless and all work space clear.
15. Bathrooms - Neat, spotless and fresh, repair broken putty around tub, counters clear.
16. Closets. - Untidy or over-crowed closets suggest inadequate storage space. Thin them down.
17. Children and pets can keep buyers from feeling positively. Keep them secluded or out of the house, if possible.
18.Showing - Lights - Important to have table lamps on to create a cozy, warm atmoshpere.
19. Have all basement, garage lights on so agent does not have to fumble in the dark.
20. If you're at home, welcome agent and clients at the door and then leave the showing and discussion to the agent. They are trained to sell your home and are being paid by you to provide a service. Interference by the Seller can sometimes make clients feel uncomfortable and negative about the home.
21. Bonus recommendation - Hire a home stager. The Keith Williams Team provides this service FREE if required.