Preparing Your Home To Sell

General Suggestions & Recommendations:

• Replace burned out light bulbs, use energy efficient, long lasting CFL/LED bulbs if possible.
• Put outside lights on a timer to ensure your house is properly lit after sunset.
• Touch up and re-paint walls as necessary/paint to more appealing color scheme if needed.
• Replace damaged/discolored electrical and light switch covers
• Pressure wash your home, driveway, patio, and fences.
• Make sure your house number is visible and easy to read.
• Clean and organize garage/carport/storage shed.
• Replace cracked and/or broken windowpanes.
• Make sure the doorbell and door hardware are in good repair.
• Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, and fascia, and moulding.
• Repair fence and gates, make sure latches work and doors open and close properly.
• Wash windows both inside and out, repair blinds/window treatments.
• Clean gutters and remove debris from roof, repair leaks & damaged shingles.
• Steam clean carpets and floors. Replace carpet and refinish hardwood floors if needed.
• Have HVAC serviced and duct work cleaned out, replace filter(s).
• Have all appliances in working order & clean/sanitize.
• Make sure sinks, toilets, showers, and other plumbing fixtures are in good working order with no leaks.
• Install railing when three or more steps present in stairway.
• Identify & repair any potential trip, slip, and other safety hazards to visitors.
• Have the home deep cleaned by a professional cleaning company.
• Remove any odor causing items and deodorize.
• Depersonalize home by removing the majority of family photos if an abundant amount are present.
• Update hardware on doors, cabinets, and fixtures, making sure they match. Repair any scratches.
• Oil squeaky door, window, and cabinet hinges as well as kitchen drawers that don’t roll smoothly.
• Make sure all locks operate properly and all keys are available.
• Organize closets, allowing for maximum use of space and remove unused items to create more space.
• Install low-flow toilets (in counties with low-flow requirements, un-incorporated DeKalb for example).
• Check for mold & mildew, remediate as needed.
• Get home inspected for Termites. Treat property if active infestation is found.
• Have a deck contractor inspect any loose railings, cracked floorboards or deteriorated support beams.
• Hire a licensed electrician to evaluate electrical wiring & properly label breaker/fuse box slots if needed.

NOTE: If you are unsure about the condition of your home, it may be a good idea to have your home professionally inspected prior to listing it for sale. A home inspection can identify potential issues, which allows the homeowner to repair those issues ahead of time and reduce the number of problems that may arise once a buyer has their own inspection. A pre-sale home inspection is a good idea for most home sellers and can greatly reduce the possibility of a contract falling through during the due-diligence period.