Prepare the inside of your home for showing

Once you have minimised clutter and cleared excess furniture, you are ready to concentrate on repairs, cleaning and presentation. The goal is to have each room looking its sharpest and freshest. The better the house looks, the greater the chance it sells quickly and for top dollar. Concentrate on the following areas.

Entry

• Clear the closet to half full. Buyers open it.
• A clean mat, a place to sit, nothing on the floor.

Kitchen

• Counters clear except two or three deliberate items.
• Appliances spotless, inside and out. Buyers open the oven.
• Cabinet fronts cleaned or repainted; new hardware is the cheapest kitchen update there is.
• Under-sink area dry and tidy. Inspectors and buyers look here for leaks.

Bathrooms

• Fresh caulking and grout. Nothing dates a bathroom faster than mildew.
• Toilet seats replaced, fixtures polished, a new shower curtain or a clear glass door.
• Personal items out of sight; white towels.

Living and bedrooms

• Furniture pulled back to show floor space and walking paths.
• Beds made hotel-style; closets thinned.
• Window coverings open, glass clean, every bulb working and matching in colour temperature.
• Neutral paint where colours are strong.

Everywhere

• Odours addressed at the source, not covered with fragrance. Pets, smoke and cooking are the three buyers notice.
• Floors clean and repaired; carpets professionally cleaned or replaced.
• Temperature comfortable and lights on before every showing.

A second opinion

It is hard to see your own home the way a stranger does. Nadia walks every room with her sellers and gives a plain-spoken list, prioritised by what returns the most for the least. Book that walk-through with the home evaluation form.