Clean it up! Here are 5 ways to take care of that!
Sellers always need to keep in mind that when they are selling their home, they need to pretend the house is no longer theirs and look at it as if they were going to buy it themselves. First, ask yourself "How would I feel when I walk in here and it's not my home? Would I need to clean from top to bottom, what about the floors or the windows? What about the bathrooms?" Most people forget how important the answers to those questions really are. There is just so much to do in preparation to move to a new home, that sometimes, you don't see the obvious, and that just may be the ONE thing that will get your house sold.
It's not until the home sits on the market for long periods that sellers realize something has to change. Sometimes it's the marketing, sometimes it's the price, and sometimes it's the fact that the home that's being shown isn't clean enough. Yes, a clean home shows better and there are five ways to make yours sparkle from roof to baseboards.
Hard to Reach Windows/Skylights. Sometimes if you have windows above eye-level, or skylights or a wall of windows, you forget that others look at these features. After all, weren't they part of the reason you bought your house to start with? If you can't reach them on your own with a ladder, it is an investment you are making in your future. Clean windows and skylights let in natural light and the more light that is in your home, the better it shows. If you are tackling this chore on your own, do not do it on a sunny day. The sun dries whatever you are using to clean the windows much faster than on a cloudy day and it can lead to streaks. You really don't want to have to do this chore more than once, do you?
Bathrooms. Does your toilet have hard water stains? Do you have kids that might "miss" the bowl and get on the toilet seat? Nothing turns off buyers more than a dirty bathroom or kitchen. If you've have an older toilet, give it a good inspection and be sure to check under the lid. Buyers sometimes use your toilet when they're looking at your home and nothing is worse than seeing rust stains and other unsightly marks. Double check your sink(s). Do they have dried toothpaste in the bowl? Buyers won't care if you brushed your teeth this morning, but they will care if you left them a reminder that you did. Same with the tub. Don't leave rings to show that you bathed. Buyers don't care.
Baseboards and Walls. Many articles talk about putting a fresh coat of paint on your walls, but you may not have to do that. If the paint isn't chipped or too worn, you may be able to get away with a good wipe-down instead. Using a wet, mildly soapy cloth you can scrub the baseboards and walls to make them look like they've had a fresh coat of paint, You also might want to try Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser that I think works really great on walls and baseboards. They help take the grime off nearly everything. You don't have to spray anything on the surface you're going to clean; just wet the eraser and wipe off the marks. Be sure to get the baseboards and get down to kids' level and wipe off the marks where they place their fingers while walking down the hall, around light switches or up the stairs. When buyers see homes that are scoffed and worn like that, they may think it's an indication that the home might not have gotten the care it needed for the bigger things too-such as furnace, disposal, plumbing, electrical wiring, etc. Some buyers believe that if attention to detail is lacking here, it will be lacking throughout the house.
Floor Tile. When you're showing your house, many Realtors will ask the buyers to take off their shoes but some buyers won't. Some Realtors won't ask them to, either. This, however, can lead to very dirty flooring and grout. The tile and the condition of the grout will matter to most buyers should they decide to make an offer. Keep in mind that buyers typically will submit an offer many times lower than the cost to remedy the situation. For a few $$ and some elbow grease to "spiff up" your house, any offer you get will be that much higher.
Closets, Cabinets, Computer areas. "Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Don't have so much junk stuffed inside closets and cabinets that everything comes crashing down on potential buyers when they open them to have a peek. Additionally, it gives the impression that the closets are too small and there is not enough storage room in the home.
A little cleaning and preparation before you market your home will help show buyers that you've cared for the house and that could be just the signal a buyer needs to make an offer.
Here's a hint. If you have small children, make it a contest. List all the chores you want them to do each morning; like pick up their toys, put the cap back on the toothpaste, etc. Give them a small token or coupon for each chore they do without you asking them to. Once they collect, say 10 of these, they get a treat. Maybe a McDonalds happy meal, a movie or whatever would incent them. Is it a bribe? You betch! Does it work? You betcha! Not only that, but it makes them feel like a part of something that is happening in their lives that otherwise, might be a bit intimidating.
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