Your Home's Value: Maximize your sell price

To attain maximum impact, it helps to look at your home through buyer's eyes. Following these steps will help your house look its best for buyer's showings and open houses.

Basement, Attic, Garage

• Clean out the clutter
• Keep stairways and entryways well lit
• Keep basement bright with new paint or lighting
• Ventilate or dehumidify
• Repair cracked floors and walls
• Stack items against the walls

Kitchen

• To brighten, paint cabinets and put up new curtains.
• Remove any appliances from your counters.
• Leave a delicious smell in the kitchen.

Bathroom

• Repair any dripping faucets
• Keep fresh towels in the bathroom
• Remove stains from toilets, bathtubs and sinks
• Keep sinks and mirrors shining
• Unclog sinks and bathtubs
• Use a deodorizer in the bathroom area
• Replace old caulking around the bathtubs

Living Areas

• Have all plaster in top shape
• Check ceilings for leak stains
• Use white and neutrals if painting and redecorating
• Clean fireplace
• Wash windows and replace any cracked or broken glass
• All windows should open and close
• Keep draperies open, window shades up
• Replace burned out light bulbs
• Be sure every light switch works
• Discard items now that will be disposed of when moving
• Straighten up the closets
• Keep pets away during showings
• Lubricate any sticking or squeaking doors
• Turn off all televisions

Outdoors

• Invest in landscaping where it can be seen at first sight.
• Cut back over-grown shrubbery and keep lawn mowed.
• Paint your house if necessary.
• Repaint front shutters, window frames, and front door.
• In winter, walkways should be free of snow and ice.