10 Spruce-Up Tips in 10 Days. Get More Added Value to Your Home Before You Put it on the Market!!

Keep it UP!

This is one of those things that sounds oh-so-easy in print, but it really is a lot harder when you're running around just living life!  In all seriousness, there's things you do for the interior and things you do for the exterior.

For the interior, you need to have a bottle of glass cleaner in every bathroom and in the kitchen.  This is one of the quickest and easiest ways you can keep these rooms clean at all times.  Every morning, spray glass cleaner all over the vanity(-ies) in the bathroom(s) and all over the mirrors.  Wipe down the toilet(s).  Either sweep or run a quick vacuum.  Make sure that the front of the vanity is clean.  In the kitchen, spray every single surface from the counters to the appliances to the front of the cabinets.

You need to make sure that you're dusting every couple of days.  Get either a Swiffer or something similar.  I use those, but I also use microfiber cloths.  You just have to wipe quickly, and you're done.  Do this in every room.  If you have kids, make a game of it! 

Vacuum and sweep.  Set a timer for each room, and just spend 5 minutes in each room doing what it is that you need to do.  At night, do a quick mopping of the floor.  Do this in the bathroom(s) as well.  The cleaning supplies will give you a nice, clean scent, and they will also clean the surfaces for you!  (DUH!)

For the outside, weed once per week in the flower beds.  Weed eat.  Make sure that the bushes are trimmed up nice and pristine.  Mow the lawn.  Water the lawn and plants to keep them looking nice.  Make sure the mulch looks good and fresh!  You want the house to look like the best-maintained one in your neighborhood and hopefully on the market in your price range.  It really does make a difference!!!

You never know when that call is going to come in to show your house.  Keep with it and treat the maintenance of your home with the utmost urgency.  After all, you do want it to sell, right?

Good luck and Happy Selling!

10 Spruce-Up Tips in 10 Days. Get More Added Value to Your Home Before You Put it on the Market!!

Cleaning the Exterior

This is one of those things that sort of goes along with curb appeal, but tends to be neglected.  It's absolutely essential that you do these details when selling your home.  Why, you ask?  Well, you want the absolute top dollar for your home, right?  Your home is in competition with other homes in your area, like it or not.  And the more flooded your market is, the more essential that it becomes to put your best foot forward when selling.  You need to set yourself apart from the competition.  Doing these next items will help you do just that!

First, either borrow, buy, or rent a pressure washer.  (You don't need a zillion PSI to handle what you've got to do.  You can get an electric one that will do what you need to do for around $100.  If you're not confident with doing this job, it's imperative that you hire this out.  It may cost a little bit more in dollars upfront, but if you're reckless it could cost a fortune to fix the damage.)  Doing decks and siding on houses can be tricky, especially with some of these super-powered pressure washers, so please keep that in mind.

Now, you can start on the siding, deck and/or patio, porches, sidewalks, and driveways.  Doing this will "take it up a notch".  Although perspective buyers won't typically say "Love the pressure washing job you did on your home!" in their feedback, they will say things like, "Very well-maintained.  Extra clean!", and things of that nature.  You need to hear these things when selling.  It also means that you're probably going to sell a lot quicker than your neighbor who thinks it's okay to leave their house as it is because it functions just fine, thank you very much.  Um, no!

The next step is cleaning any exterior light fixtures.  If you have porch lights that can't take being pressure washed (most shouldn't be), then you will have to do this by hand.  Again, it's another positive notch in your belt as a seller.  Make sure that your welcome mat(s) are clean, neat, and welcoming.  It will be details that are going to set you apart from the competition!

Make sure that everything outside is tidy and clean.  Keep up with it, too.  For just a little bit of time weekly, you will be able to keep your home looking showplace-ready, and you will sell a lot faster than your competition!

Good luck and get to work!