By Dayv Morgan
Updating your home with the latest trends in paint, appliances or countertops will not do much to help you sell your home if they are surrounded by dirty bathrooms, smudged windows and stained carpets. Most people will make an effort to get their home de-cluttered before listing, but a deep cleaning is just as important, and will help it to sell faster. Here are a few tips to remember when spring cleaning your home to go on the market:
Dust in high places. Just because you don’t always see it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. Clean the air vents, ceiling fan blades and the tops of the cabinets and fridge. Don’t forget the tops of wall mirrors and wall art.
Change out HVAC air filters. Make sure you have clean air filters. In addition to being both unsightly and unhealthy, dirty air filters can cause extra wear-and-tear on the system and worry buyers about how well the system has been maintained.
Focus on floors. Steam clean all carpets, as well as the tile and grout. Include the space under any appliances like the fridge and the stove. Wipe the tops of the baseboards or repaint them if needed.
Get the corners. Whether the floor, countertops or windows, debris gathers in the corners. Though they can be the most uncomfortable to clean, corners are among the first things a homebuyer notices.
Let the light shine. Make a room feel welcoming and open by letting in light. Wash the windows inside and out, clean any screens, curtains and blinds, dust light fixtures and replace burned-out bulbs.
Spruce up your home’s entry. There is a lot to be said for first impressions. It is a good idea to power-wash the driveway, sidewalks and porch. Sweep and dust around the front door and light fixtures, and even consider painting the door.
Hire a professional. Your definition of clean could be different from a buyer’s definition of clean, and we tend to have certain spots that we always overlook. When all else fails, a professional cleaning company can make your home shine for just a few hundred dollars, and this can be one of the best investments you make in getting your home ready to sell.
Dayv Morgan is a Maricopa Realtor and owner of HomeSmart Success.
480-251-4231
[email protected]
This column appears in the March issue of InMaricopa.
