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Before putting your home on the market, you can enhance its interior by:

• Cleaning every room and removing clutter. This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter.
• Renting units to move furniture out of a crowded room.
• Hiring a professional cleaning service every few weeks while the house is on the market.
• Removing items from kitchen counters, closets and attics.
• Re-surfacing soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade, such as off-white or beige, and applying the same color scheme to carpets and flooring.
• Checking and repairing cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement, as well as repairing cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboards, wallpaper, paint and tiles.
• Replacing broken or cracked window panes, molding and other woodwork.
• Inspecting and repairing plumbing, heating, cooling and alarm systems.
• Repairing dripping faucets and shower heads.
• Buying new towels for the bathrooms to be displayed when prospective buyers visit.
• Sprucing up a kitchen in need of major remodeling with new cabinet knobs, window treatments and a coat of neutral paint.
• Consider bringing in a professional stager to set the scene throughout your home.

You can enhance exterior and curb appeal by:

• Keeping the lawn manicured and watered regularly.
• Trimming hedges, weeding flower beds and pruning trees regularly.
• Checking the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.
• Inspecting doors and windows for peeling paint.
• Cleaning and aligning gutters.
• Inspecting and clearing the chimney.
• Repairing and replacing loose or damaged roof shingles.
• Repairing and repainting loose siding and caulking.
• Keeping walks neatly cleared of snow and ice in winter.
• Adding colorful annuals, near your front entrance in spring and summer.
• Re-sealing an asphalt driveway.
• Keeping your garage door closed.
• Applying a fresh coat of paint to the front door.

When showing your home:

• Open drapes and curtains before prospective buyers arrive. Make certain the temperature is comfortable. Turn on all lights.
• Keep pets out of the way temporarily unless they are quiet and well behaved.
• Soft background music acceptable, but blaring stereos, radios and televisions will impede discussions.
• Never apologize for the appearance of your home. After all, it’s been lived in. Let your PIF agent react to comments.
• Plan on vacating during the showing period. Potential buyers may feel like intruders and hurry through your home if you are there.

It is important for your home to look its best when going on the market. Your Pay It Forward Homes agent can advise you on enhancements and give you referrals for preparing your home for sale.

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