Clean and Organize to Improve Your Home Value
Cleaning your home and freeing it from clutter can be the most important of all pre-sale activities. A little cleanliness and organization can improve the selling price of your home.
Potential home buyers will mentally project themselves living in your home. If your home is dirty and disorganized, they will not be able to formulate a pleasant picture of their new potential residence. While it is hard to keep your home in perfect order during normal living, it is crtical to do so when prospective home buyers are showing up and trying to assess its value.
Tips for Cleaning and Organizing Your Home Before Selling
| • | Clean the entryway carefully; it creates the buyer’s first interior impression of your home |
| • | Clean or purchase new front door hardware |
| • | Hire a professional to thoroughly clean the interior of your home |
| • | Remove personal possessions |
| • | Remove excess furniture to give your home a spacious look |
| • | Clean the inside of all kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and neatly organize items on shelves |
| • | Polish woodwork |
| • | Get rid of all items on front and back porch |
| • | Doors should be oiled and squeak-free |
| • | Ensure all doors, cabinets, and drawers can open completely, without any blockage |
| • | Call in an exterminator to take care of insect problems |
| • | Have a garage sale before the home is listed |
| • | Keep bookshelves and entertainment units organized neatly |
| • | Make stairwells and corridors clutter-free |
| • | Keep screens cleaned and vacuumed |
| • | Board pets |
| • | Get rid of odors (e.g. pet, food, and cigarette) |
| • | Organize closets |
| • | Remove appliances from kitchen counters to give a look of spaciousness |
| • | Make bathrooms sparkle; sinks, toilets and tubs should be immaculate |
| • | Clean windowsills |
| • | Dust silk flowers |
Once again, performing these tasks are easy on the wallet, but will certainly help to fatten your bank account at closing time.
Find more tips on improving your home's value at Homescout's Home Improvements page.
Want to know what your home is worth? Try HomeScout's Home Values tool to get your home's price.
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