Showing Your Home

• Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. Keep decorative objects on the furniture restricted to groups of 1, 3, or 5 items.
• Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. If it hasn't been used for three months…put it away!
• Clear refrigerator fronts of messages, pictures, etc. (A sparse kitchen helps buyers mentally move their own things into your kitchen.)
• In the bathroom, remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes, etc., in one small group on the counter. Coordinate towels to one or two colors only.
• Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if necessary. As owners, many times we have too much furniture in a room. This is wonderful for our personal enjoyment, but when it comes to selling, we need to thin out as much as possible to make rooms appear larger.
• Take down or rearrange certain pictures or objects on walls. Patch and paint if necessary.
• Review the house inside room by room. Paint any room needing paint, clean carpets or drapes that need it, clean windows.
• Leave on certain lights during the day. During "showings" turn on all lights and lamps.
• Have stereo FM on during the day for all viewings.
• Lockbox #1 Importance: "If we don't have it, they won't show it."

• Trim landscaping to reveal architectural detail (bottom of windows, etc.). "If they can't see it, we can't sell it."
• Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc., into the garage.
• Check gutters and/or roof for dry rot. Make sure they are swept and cleaned.
• Look at all plants…prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking windows. "You can't sell a house if you can't see it." Plants are like children-they grow so fast!!
• Weed and then bark all planting areas. Keep lawn freshly cut and fertilized. Remove any dead plants or shrubs.
• Clear patios or decks of all small items, such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys, etc. (Put them in the garage).
• Check paint condition of the house-especially the front door and trim. "Curb appeal really works!"

Try to look at your house "through the buyer's eyes" as though you've never seen it or been there before. Any time or money spent on these items will bring you back more money in return, and hopefully a faster sale.