Fifteen Simple Touch-ups to Help SELL Your House for TOP DOLLAR!

1. Start right at the front door! There's only one chance to make a first impression. Take a look at your front door and stoop to make sure they sparkle. Touch up the paint of both and put your best foot forward right away.

2. Re-seal your asphalt driveway and get rid of any grass in your interlocking drive. And, of course, don't let "Johnny Jr." leave his bike scattered across the driveway. In the winter make sure your driveway is shoveled and your walkways cleared after every snowfall.

3. In the summer invest $100 in annuals and dot your front and back yards with colour. This small investment will payback ten-fold or more.

4. Keep your lawn cut and watered. Trim the bushes and hedges especially those that are beside any walking paths. Don't make potential buyer's battle through the shrubbery on the walkway to your front door.

5. "I don't do windows". Find someone who does and clean your windows. Buyers absolutely love light, and bright houses, so take advantage and clean those windows!

6. The kitchen is a key area for buyer's. Have a look at your kitchen counter. All that should remain is your coffee maker, knife holder, spice rack and very little else. Put away the bread maker, blender and all other items you don't use on a daily basis. The idea is to make your counter space look bigger than it actually is. If you have all the things you normally have on your kitchen counter it looks smaller. You are selling "space" in the kitchen and it's something all buyer's look for.

7. All old magazines, excess toys, nic nac's, fridge magnets and all other clutter must go! This is probably the most powerful contribution you can make to the success of your house selling. Have a yard sale, rent a storage bin, call Goodwill or throw it out, but what ever you do, clear away all clutter in your house.

8. Have your carpets steam cleaned. The payback on this is also very high. There are many reputable companies out there who constantly have deals on professionally cleaning carpets. Make the small investment to help put your home in show time condition.

9. Next, go to the bathroom and open up the linen closet. Tidy it up and it will look bigger ( are you starting to notice a trend here?!). After you've finished with the linen closet tackle all the other closets as well.

10. When your home is shown there are usually three or more people (the sales representative and two or three family members) walking through your home. Take a walk through your family room and picture a group making the same trek. Is that large ottoman too close to the coffee table? Is the room too small for the coffee table? Could that wing back chair be pushed closer to the wall? Would the dining room seem larger if you took out one of the leaves of the table? Analyze each room remembering there has to be enough room for everyone to walk through comfortably. Making a few small adjustments in your furniture configuration and placement can make each room seem more spacious.

11. Tidy up the basement and paint the floor grey if it's unfinished. Basements automatically look cleaner and less scarier if they are painted. Remember - neat and tidy sells houses.

12. Touch up and repaint any room that needs it. Don't make the mistake of rationalizing that the new buyers will want their own colours. If you don't do the touch ups your home won't show as well as it could. Remember, buyer's are looking for excuses not to buy your home so don't give them any!

13. Check all light bulbs and replace any burnt out ones or increase the wattage in darker areas of your home. Light and bright sells, so put your home on display and turn up the lights!

14. Prior to the first agent or public open house hire a cleaner for one hour and make your home sparkle! Perception is reality - let agents and buyers leave your home with a good impression!

Steve Wiggett has been one of Royal LePage's leading sales representatives since 1986. Steve has worked with many companies transferring employees to ensure smooth moves. These companies have included London Life, 3M, GM, Bell Canada, Sears, Eaton's, Canada Trust and many others.

© By Steve Wiggett, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Triland

Contact Steve Wiggett
Ph: (519) 661-0380    Cell: (519) 852-5257    Toll Free: (866) 339-0033
Fax:(519) 661-0998    Email: steve@londonroyallepage.com
Royal LePage Triland Realty 235 North Centre Road, London, ON N5X 437