Home Selling Checklist
Give it curb appeal –Make sure your home is attractive upon approach and when viewed from the street. The first impression is a lasting one. The following are some of the biggest factors of curb appeal:
- Landscaping: Add flowers, use colorful pots or containers, add some garden art or lighting, be sure to control weeds, and trim any bushes.
- Front entrance: Be sure the house number is clearly visible and the pathway to the entry door is clean and clear. Add a new welcome mat, and make sure outside lighting is in working order and clean – cobwebs and dust need to go.
- Mailbox: Replace if dented, broken, faded, etc.
- Paint or siding: Does the front entry door need a fresh coat of paint? Is the paint on the house peeling? Is the siding damaged or faded? Does the house need to be pressure washed?
- Driveway: The driveway is a big part of the look of your home’s exterior. Make sure potential buyers don’t see your driveway as something they’ll have to fix.
- Fix any faults – What you might consider a minor item will be looked at as an added cost to a home buyer. Most home buyers want a move-in ready home.
- Fixtures: Repair or replace missing or damaged fixtures.
- Floor/counter tiles: Replace cracked, damaged, or missing tiles.
- Holes: Repair and repaint any walls with holes or damage.
- Leaky faucets: It may be time to replace any leaky faucets.
- Doors: Repair doors that don’t close properly including kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors. Replace doorknobs if worn.
- Kitchen/bathroom drawers: Repair any that jam.
- Declutter and clean – You want buyers to focus on how wonderful your space is, not how messy it looks. Remove clutter from every room in your home.
- Personal items: Those family photos, collectibles, knick-knacks, kids’ artwork on the fridge, etc. should be packed away and stored.
- Closets: Thin out what’s in them as much as possible. Keep the floors clean and neat and remove all dry-cleaning bags as well as anything too “personal.” Leave out only those shoes, coats, and bags you absolutely need. Storage space is a huge selling point, and if your closets are stuffed to the brim, buyers will think you don’t have enough of it.
- Décor – Keep it simple. To help buyers imagine themselves in your space, get rid of any art or other décor that might put off people with different tastes. The more personal stuff in your house, the less that potential buyers can imagine themselves living there.
- Purpose: Buyers need to visualize how they can use a room themselves. So, for that spare room you’ve been using for a variety of things, pick a use (e.g. office, guest room, crafts room) and clearly stage the space to showcase that purpose.
- Furniture: Remove furniture that doesn’t fit well into a space. A cramped room appears smaller than it is. This is where less is best.
- Repaint walls: Use neutral colors.
- Artwork: Add some art to walls where family photos may have hung.
- Color: Add a few items of color to each room. Update, clean, and organize your bathroom – Although the bathroom isn’t the center of the home, buyers do factor every space into their decision. A clean, uncluttered bathroom will contribute to the overall impression a buyer leaves with. And you certainly don’t want a dirty, cluttered bathroom (especially the master!) to be the reason a buyer walks away.
- Remove personal items: Personal items in a bathroom can distract buyers. Be sure to remove items such as hairbrushes, makeup, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toothbrush holders, lotions, jewelry, bathroom mats and toilet covers, and any items cluttering the floor (scale, plunger, etc.).
- Bathroom hardware: Update hardware so faucets and other fixtures match. Swap out any dated fixtures. Be sure the toilet isn’t running or leaking.
- Mirror: Replace if clouded or damaged.
- Towel bars and TP holder: Make sure they match, are in good condition, and are firmly anchored.
- Vanity and linen closet: Make sure they are only half to two-thirds full and well organized. Buyers will be peeking in both, and the bathroom storage should appear substantial. Take time to clean, neaten, and organize.
- Color, décor, and lighting: Make sure the wall paint color, art, and décor on the walls are neutral. Add a small leafy plant (artificial is fine) or fresh flowers to make it feel calm and inviting. Make sure all lighting fixtures and bulbs are in working order. Update or upgrade if needed.
- Shower/tub: Refresh the caulking around the shower/tub if needed. Make sure the shower glass isn’t foggy, and the tub or shower should be clear of razors, damp loofahs, lotions, creams, shampoo, etc. Hang your curtain rod high to give more height to the space. Update your shower curtain with a lighter, neutral color, and buy coordinated towels in shades of white, cream, gray, or taupe.
- Prescriptions and medications: With strangers coming through your home, it’s best to remove any medications from your medicine cabinet and put them in a safe place.
- Make the most of natural light – Light colors and lightweight fabrics both help to preserve natural light. Lighter paint colors will make your room feel lighter. Select a color that reflects, not absorbs, light.
- Remove heavy or dark curtains: This will instantly add light into your dark rooms.
- Lamps: Use a few lamps to spread light evenly around the room instead of relying completely on one overhead light. Garage: Don’t forget the garage.
• Clean and organize garage space so buyers can visualize their car(s) easily fitting into the garage.
Clean, clean, clean: Nothing will turn a buyer off faster than a dirty home.
- Dust on top of the fan blades, windowsills, frames, baseboards, inside kitchen shelves, and medicine cabinets.
- Polish your appliances and faucets.
- Give the windows a thorough cleaning, inside and out.
- Clean the walls around light-switch plates and doorknobs.
- Clean all floors.
Selling a house in Dover should be easy, fast, and put the most money in your pocket
Selling a house or property is a big decision. When is the right time to sell? What’s my house worth? (HINT: not what Zillow says…) Who should I work with? And how can I sell my house with as little of my time as possible, BUT put the most money in our pockets?
We’ve helped many local Dover area families sell a house fast, with less hassle, for higher prices, and we’d love to help you too!
When We Sell Your House, We Put More Money In Your Pocket – Not Ours
Many local Dover and New Hampshire real estate brokers can list your house. Many even charge cut-rate fees to do it. But selling a home for top dollar takes much more than just listing a house on the MLS. If you can get your property in front of the right buyers, at the right times, with the right marketing message … your chances of selling faster for a higher price increase in big ways.
We cut no corners to sell your Dover house fast, and our commission structures are reasonable and transparent.
We can help answer the question you’re probably asking, “what’s my house worth?” Let us put our local knowledge and experience to work, help you discover your home’s market value, and then get to work to sell your house today!
Our Expertise Will Save You Time, Money, And Stress When You Sell Your House In Dover
When a property sits on the market too long, it can lose appeal to buyers and cost you money every month that it goes unsold. Dozens of sellers have told us stories of them trying to sell their house themselves or list with a less experienced Dover real estate agent – only to end up working with us months later after their house didn’t sell.
Our winning marketing plan and local experience help reduce the average days on the market. This saves you time and money which helps you get on with your life faster.
