| Home renovation is an ongoing project that not only | | | | water, but dents and scratches may require a more |
| makes the home more enjoyable to live in, but easier, | | | | involved touching-up. If you added any crazy designs |
| and more profitable, to sell. Big home improvement | | | | or paint jobs to walls, such as murals and |
| projects such as redoing the kitchen or bathroom, or | | | | sponge-painting, consider repainting them in neutral |
| replacing all of your windows, can be serious | | | | colors that will accommodate a wide range of tastes. |
| investments that produce serious bottom-line results. | | | | Have the carpet deep-cleaned to make sure it is free |
| When it comes time to the put the house on the | | | | of stains and odors. Tobacco smoke, pets, and general |
| market, however, you have to consider the whole | | | | aging can produce smells that are so faint and |
| package, down to the little details. Prospective buyers | | | | common that you cease to notice them. The new, and |
| will be taking a close look at every-inch of the home, | | | | discerning, nose of a prospective buyer, however, will |
| so it behooves you to do some general home repair | | | | pick them up in an instant. Nothing turns people off like |
| and maintenance before putting it on the market. What | | | | a smelly house, so take special care with this one. Also |
| follows is a list of must-do pre-sale tasks. | | | | look for rips or spots where mold may have crept in |
| Make it look pretty. Add some flowers for color and | | | | to carpets and rugs. |
| decoration. Burn candles or potpourri, but be careful | | | | Hire a landscaping company or do it yourself, but make |
| that the resultant smells are not overpowering. Keep | | | | sure the gardens, flowerbeds, and walkways look |
| the house squeaky clean—buying a home is the | | | | well-tended and clean. A homebuyer’s view of |
| biggest, most important purchase of most | | | | the exterior will be the first introduction to your house |
| peoples’ lives, so be prepared for prying eyes | | | | and could set the tone for the entire visit, so put them |
| and picky, detail-oriented reviews of your home. | | | | at ease with something that says “clean,” |
| Wash the windows and clean window frames. | | | | “comfortable,” and “well cared |
| Check your floors for spots, scratches, and stains. | | | | for.” Cut the grass, trim the edges, put down |
| Wood floors should be polished and buffed to remove | | | | fresh mulch, do a thorough job of weeding, trim dying |
| scratches. Scratches in linoleum floors may be harder | | | | tree branches, rake leaves, and pressure-wash dirty |
| to repair, but do your best to clean and polish. If you | | | | walkways. |
| have tile floors, make sure the grout between tiles is | | | | For a final check, go outside, close your eyes, and |
| as clean as possible, and replace or repair any broken | | | | walk up to your home as if you were seeing it for the |
| tiles. | | | | first time. Give it a hard look to make sure you did not |
| Check walls for scratches, marks, dings, or stains. | | | | miss anything. Being hard on yourself now will make |
| Smaller marks from pencils or moving furniture can be | | | | you much happier later. |
| carefully removed with a clean sponge and warm | | | | |