Jenny Buchanan Realtor®
RE/MAX Alliance
10 Pine Orchard Road Branford Connecticut 06405 USA

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Spruce up the Inside!

Here’s your chance to clean up in real estate. Clean up the living room ... the bathroom ... the kitchen. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading consider some minor redecoration. If you’re worried about time, hire professional cleaners or painters to get your house ready. Remember, prospects would rather see how great your home really looks than hear how great it could look "with a little work."

Here are a few suggestions ...


Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends
  1. Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. Keep decorative objects on the furniture to a minimum.
  2. Make Room for Space. Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space. They’re looking for storage space, too. Make sure your attic, basement and closets are clean and free of unnecessary items.
  3. Clear all unnecessary objects from kitchen countertops. Clear the refrigerator exterior of messages, pictures, magnets, etc. If the kitchen is clear and clean, the prospective buyer will mentally move their own things into the room.
  4. Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. For added allure, display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains. Remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops.
  5. Rearrange or eliminate some of the furniture if a room feels full. Balanced furniture would make a room look larger and inviting.
  6. Look critically at the pictures on the walls. Remove or rearrange them to improve the appearance of the room. Patch and paint any holes and marks.
  7. Re-inspect each room individually
    • Do any rooms need painting?
    • Do any carpets and drapes require cleaning?
    • Do the windows and screens need cleaning?
  8. Check faucets and light bulbs. Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks, and suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. Burned out bulbs or faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark.
  9. Leave on some strategic lights during the day. Turn on all the lights and lamps for “showings”.
  10. Open up in the daytime and let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.
  11. Watch Your pets - dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you're showing your home. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot. So do everybody a favor ... keep Kitty and Spot outside, or at least out of the way.
  12. Putting on some light and easy music on the CD for showings is a nice touch.
  13. Have a lockbox on the property. Many agents will not take the time to show a property that does not have a lockbox.

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© Jennifer Buchanan 2004 - 2006