First impressions really count with homebuyers. A small investment in time and effort can provide a big advantage when your REALTOR shows your home to a prospective buyer.
Here are some suggestions for preparing your home for showing.
First Impression / General
- House exterior in good repair
- House number easy to see
- Eaves troughs, downspouts and soffits painted and in good repair
- Garage/car port clean and tidy
- Litter picked up
- Cracked or broken window panes replaced
First Impression / Summer
- Lawns cut and raked
- Hedges and shrubs trimmed
- Gardens weeded and edged
First Impression / Winter
- Snow and ice cleared away from walks and driveway
- Sidewalks sanded or salted
- Boot tray inside front door
At the Front Door
- Doorbell works
- Door hardware in good repair
- Porch and foyer clean and tidy
- Fresh air in house
Interior Maintenance
- Cracked plaster repaired
- Chipped paint touched up
- Door knobs and cupboard latches tight
- Leaky taps and toilets repaired
- Furnace wiped down and cleaned
- Burned out light bulbs replaced
- Squeaky doors oiled
Bathroom
- Mirrors, fixtures and taps cleaned and polished
- Leaky taps and toilets repaired
- Seals around tubs and basins in good repair
- Floors cleaned, garbage containers emptied
- Inside of cupboards and cabinets clean and neat
- Towels clean and matching
- Clutter put away
Kitchen
- Sinks and taps clean and polished
- Appliances cleaned
- Countertops clear and polished
- Inside of cupboards and cabinets clean and neat
- Small appliances put away
- Clutter put away
Creating a Buying Atmosphere
- All lights turned on
- Air conditioner turned on in warm weather
- Fireplace lit in cooler weather
- Closets neat and tidy
- Halls and stairs cleared of clutter
- Drapes opened during daylight
- Background music played quietly
- Carpets freshly vacuumed
- Fresh flowers in various rooms
- Pets contained or absent during the showing
Valuables
- Jewellery and valuables locked safely away or taken with you
- Valuable property (such as objects of art, vases, figurines, mementos) are safely situated, out of reach or locked away
More Tips on Showing
(Discuss with Sales Representative)