Before the house goes on the market it can be worthwhile investing some time sprucing it up!
When preparing your house for sale, consider:
How much you should spend,
Exterior appeal,
Interior appeal, and
Show Time!
When preparing your home for the market the general rule is to spend as little money as possible. Feel free to make relatively inexpensive upgrades to your home, e.g. replacing chipped door knobs, but avoid undertaking major renovations, e.g. remodelling the kitchen.
Work at enhancing your home's exterior appeal before attending to its interior. This should be your first priority as the exterior of your property provides a buyer's introduction to your home. If the exterior repels a buyer, they are unlikely to investigate the inside of the house.
Look over the following list of areas that may need attention when preparing the exterior of your property:
Lawn - Keep your lawns cut, with neat edges. Reseed any bare patches and perhaps fertilise for additional colour.
Shrubs/Trees - Trim branches where necessary, especially around windows to allow natural light into the house. Remove any dead limbs.
Garden Beds - If appropriate, plant colourful flowers. Also add mulch to beds and remove all weeds. Perhaps place showy annuals in pots near the house entrance.
Paths - Keep all paths swept.
Windows - Repair any broken windows and wash all glass.
Eaves - Wash and remove spider webs.
Drains/Spouts - Unblock and clean.
Paint work - Attend to any flaking paint after discussion with your agent.
Doors - Wash down your front door and its surrounds, polish brass fitting and repair any torn fly wire.
Fences - Straighten, repair or repaint only after discussion with your agent.
Junk/Rubbish - Remove all junk and rubbish, e.g. car parts.
Pools/Ponds - Make sure these are clean.
Garage - Keep your garage door closed.