A Seller’s Checklist

When you are selling your home, there will be potential buyers who will want to see every inch of your house. As the saying goes, first impressions are lasting impressions, so make sure your home shows its best. The following are checklists you may want to use to ensure that no detail, no matter how small, is overlooked.

General Impressions

* House exterior in good repair
* House number easy to see
* Eaves troughs, down spouts and soffits painted and in good repair
* Garage/carport clean and tidy
* Cracked or broken window panes replaced

First Impressions

* Depending on the season
* Lawns cut and raked; hedges and shrubs trimmed; gardens weeded and edged
* Leaves raked; walks swept; decks and patios cleared of leaves and debris
* Snow and ice cleared; walkways sanded or salted

At the Front Door

* Doorbell works
* Door hardware in good repair
* Porch and foyer clean and tidy

Interior Maintenance

* Cracked plaster repaired
* Chipped paint touched up
* Door knobs and cupboard latches tight
* Furnace wiped down and cleaned
* Burned out light bulbs replaced
* Squeaky doors oiled

Bathrooms

* Mirrors, fixtures & taps cleaned and polished
* Leaky taps and toilets repaired
* Seals around tubs and basins in good repair
* Floors cleaned, waste containers emptied
* Inside of cupboards and cabinets cleaned and neat
* Towels clean and matching
* Clutter put away

Kitchen

* Sinks & taps cleaned and polished
* Appliances cleaned
* Countertops cleared and polished
* Inside of cupboards & 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
* Hall and stairs cleared of clutter
* Drapes opened during daylight
* Background music played quietly
* Carpets freshly vacuumed

Valuables

* Valuables locked safely away or taken with you, objects of art or figurines situated safely out of reach or locked away