Spend a Little...Get a Lot Sellers - top tips 2

  • Holiday displays, including Christmas cards, should be removed and stored by the first week in January. 
  • Use degreaser and a razor blade to make basement windows crystal-clear.
  • Remember to put away valuables while showing your home. Expensive jewelry belongs in a safe deposit box.
  • Have long-stemmed artificial flowers to pack? Ask your local florist for a couple of boxes wholesalers use to deliver fresh flowers to florists.
  • Even if your entire house doesn’t need to be painted, putting a fresh coat of paint in a new color on the door and trim may keep a couple thousand dollars on your sale price.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to call professional painters because their schedules may be filled. Hire them as soon as you make the decision to sell.
  • If you have more than two cars in your driveway, park the extra vehicles at a neighbor’s house. This will give your driveway and yard a spacious look.
  • Oil and rust stains can be removed from concrete with commercial driveway cleaners that are available from automotive and home improvement stores.
  • The basement needn’t be spotless, but change light bulbs and clear cobwebs before showing the house.
  • Change air conditioning and furnace filters so the units will run efficiently.
  • If your washer and dryer are in the basement, create a cozy laundry area by adding an area rug and shelves to store detergent bottles.
  • Check for termites by using a pocketknife to jab the support beams near the house foundation. If the knife penetrates the wood easily, then there could be a termite problem.
  • Don’t have the time to keep the house clean? Consider hiring a cleaning service to keep your house in shape while it’s on the market.
  • If your wall-to-wall carpet looks fine except for a couple of worn spots, have it professionally cleaned and cover the imperfect areas with small rugs.
  • Make sure stairways are safe by freeing them of toys or slippery mats, securing the handrail, and installing good lighting.
  • If possible, plan to put your home on the market during peak real estate periods – spring and autumn.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to call professional painters because their schedules may be filled. Hire them as soon as you make the decision to sell.
  • Keep your lawn looking thick and green by fertilizing during the appropriate season.
  • Opt for neutral paint and carpets but add splashes of color with area rugs, napkins, flowers, pillows, curtains, drapes and towels.
  • Make the fireplace a focal point – polish your fireplace tools and arrange logs in the fireplace. On cold days, light a welcoming fire.
  • Selling a vacant house? Consider renting a few pieces of furniture to create a cozy atmosphere.
  • Just before showing your house, turn on all the lights – including closet and oven lights, and those over the stove and kitchen counters. This makes the house look bigger and brighter.
  • Place a small rug in front of doors leading outside so visitors can wipe their feet, particularly if it is raining or snowing.
  • To give your house an inviting aroma, pour a small amount of vanilla extract on a cookie sheet and place in a warm, NOT HOT, oven.
  • Improve safety by ensuring that windows and doors can’t slam shut; fixing loose handrail on porches, decks, and stairways; and removing dangerous tools, sharp objects and hazardous materials from the garage.
  • Rent a bank safe deposit box to store cash and small valuables as long as your house is being shown.
  • Consider replacing hinges and springs on the garage door. They’re relatively inexpensive and improve safety.
  • If you’re three or four months away from marketing your house, consider reseeding the lawn instead of laying sod. Reseeding takes longer, but is much less expensive than sod.
  • Replacing a cracked and broken walkway with cement stepping stones purchased from a home improvement store is an inexpensive but attractive way to create a new path to the front door.
  • Your house should be comparable to others in the neighborhood. For example, if most of your neighbors have granite counter tops or tiled floors, consider upgrading yours.
  • Begin the repair process by making your own home inspection. Walk around the yard and through the house and take notes about the problem areas, needed repairs, items to discard or store, and things to replace.
  • Crayon and marker on walls require treatment before painting the room. Sand the marked area with sandpaper; seal it with shellac and then paint over the spot. This will enable the paint to stick and cover the marks.
  • As you self-inspect your home, make notations on Post-it Notes and stick them in the area that needs attention. This givesSellers - Stop tips 1an instant visual reminder of what needs to be done in each room.
  • Use the proper type of paint for each surface you need to cover. Kitchen and bathrooms require paint that can withstand heat and moisture. Consult a professional at a paint store for advice.
  • Create an information booklet containing property tax statements; records of maintenance, service work, warranty work and improvements made to the house; utility bills; and warranties for the roof, pool, spa, electrical systems and major appliances.
  • Immediately before showing the house, make the home inviting by cleaning windows, opening the drapes, turning on lights and playing soft music.
  • Keep under-the-bed storage containers handy for last minute clean up. Fill them with clutter and shove them out of sight.
  • Light a couple of lightly scented candles to give a feeling of warmth and add a nice aroma
  • If basement stairs lack a handrail, then add one. It’s safer and, in most states, required by law.
  • Revitalize a tree or bush by trimming dead leaves and branches.
  • Get rid of odors by cleaning drapes and carpets, scooping out the cat’s litter box daily, and emptying ashtrays each day.
  • Keep a log of all improvements made and appliances purchased so you can remember what to include in the real estate listing.
  • Adding closet organizers, building shelves, and adding rooms are not cost effective and won’t add to the sale price of the house.
  • To save money, fix a leaking roof instead of replacing it.
  • Professional window cleaners suggest donning rubber gloves then washing windows with a commercial window cleaner and newspaper. The newsprint creates extra sparkle.
  • To clean brass plates and doorknobs, apply a thin coat of window cleaner with a soft cloth, let dry and rub lightly to polish. This will keep brass tarnish-free for months.
  • To clean bricks, squeeze a bit of denture cream onto a wet toothbrush and scrub the grout. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
  • Nail polish remover is an inexpensive cleaner for chrome decorations and knobs on stoves, ovens and appliances. Apply with a cloth and rinse well with water.
  • To clean a fireplace screen, vacuum off the dust, and scrub the screen with a sponge and sudsy water. When dry, brush the screen with a coat of self-polishing floor wax.
  • To rid your oven of odor after cleaning, place orange peelings on a rack inside the oven. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and let the citrus smell fill the room.
  • If your stove has drip trays, replace them. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and improve the look of the appliance.
  • Clean all windowsills regularly. A dirty windowsill will negate any benefits of a sparkling window.
  • To create a feeling of space when showing the house, leave all interior doors open.
  • Hard water deposits on sinks and tubs can be removed with the same type of fine pumice stone used to remove mineral deposits from the side of swimming pools.
  • To remove old paint from ornate turnings, dip twine into paint remover, hold by both ends and pull back and forth between crevices.
  • To banish odors from a room, remove the source of the smell, then use room deodorizer, potpourri, carpet freshener, deodorized cat litter or cedar chips to freshen the area.
  • A new doormat will spruce up a clean entryway.
  • Use mirrors to make small areas of the house appear larger.
  • Replace old, discolored or moldy shower curtains with an inexpensive new one in a neutral or coordinating color.
  • When your house is on the market, turn on exterior lights, and interior lights that can be seen from the street. Keep one light on in each room that faces the street from sunset to bedtime to make the house look inviting to buyers driving past at night.
  • Like rooms, closets will look larger if they are uncluttered and organized.
  • Spruce up a drab kitchen with bright but inexpensive curtains or window toppers.
  • Stained grout will stand out in an otherwise sparkling bathroom – use a bleach pen to clean it or re-grout between tiles.