Month: January 2017

When preparing your house for a viewing, you’re obviously going to make sure it’s clean and tidy. After all, you want to make the best impression possible on potential buyers. But in the minutes before the buyers are due to arrive, there are a few final touches you need to do in your house to ensure it looks its best.

Put away coats, hats and shoes. Focus around the foyer. You don’t want clutter to be the first thing a buyer sees.

Turn on all lights and lamps. Don’t forget darker areas like nooks and corners. A house that is bright looks more roomy.

Organize your storage space. Make sure bikes, boxes and other items are neatly stowed. Think of your storage space as another room.

Put on some soft music. Choose something that will appeal to most people. Easy listening and classical music work best.

Make sure the toilet lids are down. Even when a washroom is sparkling clean, a raised toilet seat gives the impression – however incorrectly – that things are less than hygienic.

Open all curtains and blinds. This makes rooms look bigger and brighter, even at night.

It only takes a few minutes to do these few final touches, and your home will show better as a result.

There’s a lot of competition in the housing market these days. When you put your home up for sale, you’re bound to be up against several other similar listings. That’s why it is important to make sure your property is in a good state of repair so that it makes a good impression on potential buyers.

Here are some things that may need your attention or the help of a reputable contractor:

Doorways. Inspect all your entry systems closely. Look for sagging screens, cracked glass, squeaks, and aging or broken aluminum parts. Consider giving your doors a fresh coat of paint.

Roof. Check for missing shingles and have replacements installed where necessary. Also inspect the gutters. Remove any leaves and other debris that may have accumulated.

Walls. Look for nail pops, holes and dents. Patch and paint where necessary.

Toilets. Make sure all toilets are still secured firmly to the floor and don’t rock when you sit on them. Anchoring nuts tend to corrode over the years. Replace where necessary.

Faucets. Inspect all faucets, including those in the laundry room and other areas. Do you have one that drips? If so, repair or replace it.

Cabinets. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets get scratched and worn in spots over the years. There are many great scratch repair products on the market that can make cabinetry look almost new.

Decks and gates. Any loose boards? Rickety stairs? Sagging gates that you have to lift in order for the latch to close? Buyers will notice. Get them fixed.

The good news about these types of repairs is that they are relatively inexpensive, yet make your home show significantly better.