How to Get Top Dollar

How to Top Dollar for Your Home

With buyers, first impressions count. A small investment of time and money will generate financial rewards and give your home a positive edge over other listings when it comes time to show it. Review the following ideas and see what you can do with just a little effort that might help attract a buyer sooner at your asking price.

First Impressions

• Clean and tidy entrance
• Functional doorbell
• Polish door hardware and outdoor lights
• Paint/clean front door
• Add flowers to the porch

Exterior

• Mow lawn, prune shrubs and trees. Keep well-watered
• Weed and edge gardens
• Clean pet areas, re-sod if needed
• Clean brick, siding or stucco, paint or repair as needed
• Wash windows
• Sweep and remove stains on driveways and walkways
• Repair doors, paint, gutters and eaves.
• Paint/repair fences

Living and Dining Room

• Arrange furniture for maximum open feel
• Remove papers and clutter
• Straighten bookshelves, store books
• Polish furniture and wood
• Remove extra or dying plants
• Clean lighting fixtures
• Clean hardwood floors
• Clean window coverings
• Clean/paint walls and ceilings
• Check doors and windows (to ensure working properly)

Kitchen

• Store extra dishes – clean cupboards
• Clean/remove stains from sink
• Polish cabinets
• Clear all areas of paper and unnecessary items
• Clean exhaust hoods
• Clean appliances inside and out
• Clean and wax floors
• Clean curtains
• Repair faucet leaks

Bedrooms

• Clean curtains
• Clean bedspreads or replace with neutral color bedding
• Clean and deodorize carpet
• Organize closets, store excess items
• Straighten children’s rooms, pack excess toys
• Wash, patch and paint walls in neutral shades

Bathrooms

• Set out clean towels
• Clean counters
• Clean sinks, tub, shower and toilets
• Remove all stains and mold
• Clean medicine cabinets, vanities, linen closets
• Clean and deodorize floors
• Wash curtains
• Repair any necessary plumbing problems
• Caulk and grout

Inside (General)

• Open shades and curtains
• Place fresh flowers in rooms
• Clean rugs
• Empty trash baskets
• Vacuum, sweep and dust

Outside (General)

• Put away toys and lawn tools
• Put away any objects that take away from curb appeal
• Clean porch
• Clear driveways and walk areas

Basement/Garage

• Organize tool, shop and laundry areas – store extra items
• Organize children’s play areas – store extra items
• Clean garage – store tools and equipment
• Sweep floors, remove cobwebs
• Wash and deodorize pet areas
• Check furnace and water heater condition
• Repair pipes as necessary

General Maintenance

• Paint and repair as needed – inside and out
• Oil squeaky doors
• Tighten doorknobs
• Replace burned-out lights
• Clean and repair windows
• Touch up chipped paint
• Repair cracked plaster
• Repair leaking taps and toilets

Clean and Tidy

• Keep interior neat and presentable at all times
• Shampoo carpets
• Clean washer, dryer and tubs
• Clean furnace
• Clean refrigerator and stove
• Clean and freshen bathrooms
• Organize kitchen cabinets and closets so they look clean and spacious