Fixing Up the House Interior – Home Selling

Getting Your House Ready to Sell

Fixing Up the House Interior

When preparing your home for sale, the interior should be clean, bright and look as new as is humanly possible. The least traces of you or your family, the better chance you have of selling your home for top dollar quickly. If a buyer thinks there is a ton of repairs, they will either offer you less or move on to a home that is better taken care of and ready to move in.

Focus on these items to get the most bang for your buck:

Plumbing and Fixtures

All your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones where needed. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets do not leak.

Check to make sure you have good water pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain.

Ceilings, Walls and Painting

Check all the ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks leave stains, even after you have repaired the leak. Of course, if you do have a leak, you will have to get it repaired, whether it is a plumbing problem or the roof leaks.

You should do the same for walls, looking for not only stains, but also areas where dirt has accumulated and you just may not have noticed. Plus, you may have an outdated color scheme.

Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It is not a very expensive operation and often you can do it yourself. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences, but based on what would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. You should almost always choose an off-white color because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious.

Carpet and Flooring

Replace carpet with neutral colors, depending on the surroundings. Use clear runners to prevent new wear patterns and stains.

Repair or replace broken floor tiles. Be careful to use the same lot of tile so that it your floor doesn’t look like a checkerboard.

Windows and Doors

Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily. If not, a spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin showing your home.

Do the same things with the doors – make sure they open and close properly, without creaking. If they do, a shot of WD40 on the hinges usually makes the creak go away. Be sure the doorknobs turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to look sharp. As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each door and you want to do everything necessary to create a positive impression.

Odor Control

For those who smoke, avoid smoking indoors while trying to sell your home.

Pets of all kinds create odors that you may have become used to, but are immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned olfactory senses. For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily. There are also products that you can sprinkle in a layer below the kitty litter that helps to control odor. For those with dogs, keep your dogs bathed and vacuum often.